SEARCH Initiative investigations often target the way organized retail crime rings earn, move and store funds. Through the SEARCH Initiative, HSI actively looks for and investigates leads related to organized retail crime rings that have an international scope. For example, telemarketing or identity theft scams are frequently coordinated from overseas locations.Īs part of its commitment to combat mass-marketing fraud, ICE is a participant in the multi-agency International Mass-Marketing Fraud Working Group, which was established in 2007. Mass-marketing fraud has become more widespread in recent years, thanks in part to the spread of low-cost communication technology that makes it easier to defraud victims on a global scale. In return, ICE receives information to more thoroughly investigate these complex and sophisticated criminal schemes. This sharing of information allows the financial and trade community to take precautions in order to protect themselves from exploitation. Law enforcement entities share criminal typologies and methods with businesses and industries that manage the very systems that terrorists and criminal organizations seek to exploit. financial, trade and transportation sectors that can be exploited by criminal networks. National Bulk Cash Smuggling CenterĬornerstone is ICE's initiative to detect and close down weaknesses within U.S.

Since 9/11, DHS has significantly expanded its ability to track and disrupt terrorist and criminal financing through combating bulk cash smuggling, closing weaknesses in our financial, trade, and transportation sectors, combating mass-marketing fraud, attacking human smuggling and human trafficking organizations, and investigating organized retail crime rings. Learn more about the National Bulk Cash Smuggling Center.By contacting the National Bulk Cash Smuggling Center, law enforcement officers gain access to financial investigative expertise that will help them better follow the money trail, seize and forfeit criminal proceeds. It provides real-time tactical intelligence, investigative support and expertise in the transportation and smuggling of bulk cash. The center assists federal, state, tribal, local and foreign law enforcement authorities in their efforts to restrict the flow of funding that supports criminal enterprises. To avoid the scrutiny of law enforcement, these criminal organizations increasingly employ non-traditional methods to move funds, including the smuggling of bulk cash into, out of and through the United States. More stringent federal laws against money laundering, along with anti-money laundering measures adopted by traditional financial institutions, have forced criminal organizations to shift the movement of their illicit proceeds outside of the established financial industry. The center is located at the ICE Law Enforcement Support Center in Williston, Vt. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) National Bulk Cash Smuggling Center identifies, investigates and disrupts bulk cash smuggling activities around the world.

Counter espionage homeland security