The Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering

07 May, 2008

New APG Co-Chair effective July 2008

The APG membership has unanimously endorsed Mr Ong Hian Sun from Singapore's Commencial Affairs Department as the next rotating Co-Chair effective July 2008 for a period of two years.

17 April, 2008

Information sessions for Malaysia's Attorney General's Chambers

The APG Secretariat and Bank Negara Malaysia delivered information seminars to members of Malaysia’s Attorney-General’s Chambers from 7 – 9 April in Kuala Lumpur.

17 April, 2008

APG IIWG (SIP) Framework Pilot Workshop, Kuala Lumpur

The APG Implementation Issues Working Group (IIWG) in partnership with the World Bank and Bank Negara Malaysia succesfully piloted a Strategic Implementation Planning (SIP) Framework at a workshop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 1 to ...

11 July, 2008

11th APG Annual Meeting, 7 - 11 July 2008, Bali, Indonesia

The 11^th APG Annual Meeting will be held in Bali, Indonesia during the week of 7 to 11 July 2008.

learn more

The Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) is an autonomous and collaborative international organisation founded in 1997 in Bangkok, Thailand consisting of 36 member jurisdictions and a number of international and regional observers. Some of the international organisations who participate with, and support, the efforts of the APG in the region include the FATF, International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Asian Development Bank, the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, APEC and others.

For a list of all members and observers click on the “jurisdictions” and "observers" buttons at the top of this page.

The member jurisdictions and observers of the APG are committed to reducing serious crime in the Asia/Pacific region through the adoption, effective implementation and enforcement of internationally accepted standards against money laundering and the financing of terrorism, in particular the Forty Recommendations and Nine Special Recommendations on Terrorist Financing of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF).

The APG has five key roles:

To assess compliance by APG member jurisdictions with the global AML/CFT standards through a robust mutual evaluation program (click on the "documents" button above for evaluation reports);
To coordinate technical assistance and training with donor agencies and countries in the Asia/Pacific region in order to improve compliance by APG members with the global AML/CFT standards;
To participate in, and co-operate with, the international anti-money laundering network - primarily with the FATF and with other regional anti-money laundering groups;
To conduct research and analysis into money laundering and terrorist financing trends and methods to better inform APG members of systemic and other associated risks and vulnerabilities (click on the "typologies" button above); and
To contribute to the global policy development of anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing standards by active Associate Membership status in the FATF.

The APG also assists jurisdictions to establish coordinated domestic systems for reporting and investigating suspicious transaction reports and to develop effective capacities to investigate and prosecute money laundering and the financing of terrorism offences.

The APG’s purpose, mission and goals are further described in the core strategic and operating documents of the APG:

Terms of Reference;
Strategic Plan;
Annual Business Plan; and
Strategic Framework for Technical Assistance and Training.

These documents may be downloaded by clicking the “Documents” button at the top of this page and following the links shown on the left of each page.

For further information on the functions and role of the APG, please navigate this web site by using the buttons at the top of the page or by contacting the APG Secretariat at the following address:

Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering
APG Secretariat
110 Goulburn Street
Sydney NSW 2000
AUSTRALIA

Postal:

Locked Bag A3000
Sydney South NSW 1232
AUSTRALIA

T: +612 9286 4383
F: +612 9286 4393
E: mail@apgml.org

Commonly used acronyms, initialisms and abbreviations

FRAUD WARNING

Misuse of the APG's name by fraudulent services requesting fees for the verification of the origin of funds

It has been brought to the APG Secretariat's attention that the name of the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) and, in some cases, the names or titles of APG Secretariat staff are being used for fraudulent purposes. The most common method involves victims being told of fictitional moneys being owed to them by way of a lottery win or an inheritance which will be payable by international transfers of funds. To gain access to these funds, victims are asked by criminals (who fraudulently claim to be from the APG) to pay fees for fictitious services relating to verification of the origin of the funds. The criminals claim that the funds will be blocked if the customer fails to pay the fees. The APG (and indeed any other similar international body) does not provide any such services nor does it request fees or have the power to block any account or issue any ‘certificates’ for anti-money laundering compliance. In addition, the APG does not maintain any regional office or employees outside its Secretariat in Sydney.

Any approach using the APG’s name in relation to payment of fees or release of funds is fraudulent and should be reported to law enforcement authorities in the recipient’s home jurisdiction.

learn more