The revolution in information technology which we are currently experiencing is having profound implications for the concealment of criminal assets. The future is even more daunting, given our rapid move to a cashless society. The objectives of the conference at which these papers were originally presented were to anticipate the risks which these technological developments pose, and to encourage creative thinking about the interdiction of money laundering in the 21st century, were. A number of important issues are raised in the chapters which follow. Given the sheer volume of transactions occurring, it would appear that a significant challenge lies in the design of automated systems for the detection of suspect money movements.
Traditional investigations are extremely resource intensive.
Emerging technologies of artificial intelligence and neural networking may well hold the key to the future. The deregulation of financial systems around the world has introduced an unprecedented competitiveness in the banking industry. This in turn has introduced a degree of occupational insecurity for bank executives and employees alike. The extent to which this might enhance the risk of corruption in furtherance of money laundering remains to be seen. These entail law enforcement agencies covertly setting up a cash dealership, and offering to launder proceeds of crime.