Financial and commercial crimes targeted by Tonga's law enforcement [1]
Monday, August 18, 2014 - 15:36. Updated on Monday, August 18, 2014 - 16:06.
Tonga Law enforcement agencies signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 15 August to share information and work together to tackle serious financial and commercial crimes.
'Aminiasi Kefu, the Acting Attorney General and Director of Public Prosecutions, said this was an official framework for information sharing and inter-agency cooperation.
He said the MOU aimed to allow Tongan law enforcement agencies to work together, efficiently and effectively to bring criminal offenders to justice.
The MOU would mainly include serious offences having financial and commercial impact such as tax evasion offences, goods smuggling, counterfeit goods, illicit drugs trafficking, people smuggling, people trafficking, passport fraud, serious commercial fraud, identity theft, terrorism, terrorist financing and money laundering.
The Police Commissioner Grant O’Fee said the MOU gives them the framework to ensure the agencies keep in touch with each other, meeting bi-monthly and to speed things up.
"We have always tried to keep in touch especially with investigations that impact on other agencies. With the new MOU it means we meet regularly. It will be a positive move and one that should assist us all."
The MOU was signed by the Police Commissioner, CEO for Revenue and Customs Irma Daphney Stone, Vaimoana Taukolo the CEO of the Ministry for Commerce, Tourism and Labour, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade Va’inga Tone, the Governor of the National Reserve Bank of Tonga Dr Sione Ngongo Kioa and ‘Aminiasi Kefu.
It was approved by Cabinet on July 11, 2014.