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Money laundering in and through Australia, 2004

Abstract

Worldwide concerns over the extent of money laundering, coupled with evidence that major terrorist activities have been facilitated by money laundering techniques, have significantly increased the level of knowledge and interest in the subject. Understanding money laundering demands analysis of the size of the problem and its impacts on society. This paper reports on recent research conducted in 2004 by John Walker Crimes Trends Analysis, RMIT University, and AUSTRAC which updates a 1995 report that estimates the cost of money laundering, and identifies risk areas for money laundering in and through Australia. Based on questionnaires and empirical data, the 2004 study found that the extent of money laundering in Australia was not significantly different from that in 1995. It suggests that Australia's relatively robust financial sector, the investment made in law enforcement and financial intelligence, and the nature of Australia's borders and stability have contributed to a lower than global average extent of laundering.

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