ICAC and Partners Launch New International Anti-Corruption Course to Combat Illicit Enrichment of Public Officials

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), the Hong Kong International Academy Against Corruption, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network) launched the inaugural “Professional Training Programme on Investigating Illicit Enrichment of Public Officials” on Monday (7 September). The course provides an in-depth examination of the investigation of illicit enrichment offences involving public officials across jurisdictions and has attracted 35 anti-corruption and law-enforcement professionals from 19 jurisdictions.

This specialised programme, jointly organised by the ICAC and UNODC, runs for 10 days and focuses on the exchange and practical application of enforcement experience. Through lectures, real-case studies and interactive discussions, senior officers from the ICAC Operations Department and forensic accounting experts review the global legal frameworks governing illicit enrichment of public officials, explore techniques for tracing illicit assets, methods of laundering the proceeds of crime, crypto-related criminal activities, and related anti-corruption measures.

The programme also features speakers from international organisations, leading academics and industry experts. These include UNODC specialists analysing global trends in illicit enrichment offences; experts from the Basel Institute on Governance explaining strategies and practical challenges in tracing the proceeds of crime; representatives from the Hong Kong Jockey Club sharing approaches to intercepting the laundering of criminal proceeds through gambling; a professor from City University of Hong Kong examining the psychology of illicit asset-related crime; and blockchain professionals demonstrating how to trace illicit assets through cryptocurrency transactions.

Participants from 19 Jurisdictions to Conduct In-Depth Study Visit to Guangzhou

A key component of the course is a four-day intensive study visit to Guangzhou, during which participants will visit relevant local law-enforcement agencies and major enterprises to observe first-hand the identification, management and investigation of illicit wealth, as well as emerging challenges and corresponding countermeasures. Participants will also visit the Legislative Council of Hong Kong and exchange views with Legislative Council members.

The programme has drawn mid- to senior-level managers and policy-makers from law-enforcement agencies in 19 countries and regions, including Indonesia, Kuwait, Madagascar, Malta, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Tonga and Ukraine. Representatives from the Guangdong Provincial Commission of Supervision, the UNODC Regional Hub for Anti-Corruption and Financial Crime in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, the Commission Against Corruption of Macao, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Customs and Excise Department, the Securities and Futures Commission, and the Hong Kong Jockey Club are also attending.