Special investigation: Hunting trafficking’s Kurdish big boss
The current UK government loves holding summits. This week has been marked by another one, devoted to organised immigration crime.
Ministers, officials and law enforcement agencies from more than 40 countries will be in attendance. Along with the logistics of the trade – attracting the migrants, sourcing the boats, engines and equipment used – a key item for discussion will be finance. Here, the hawala underground banking system will feature prominently. Already, hawala is being spun in the press as the target of a crackdown, as if it represents a new and hitherto unknown threat.
You wonder what has taken the authorities so long – to chase the gangs and with them, the money transfer methods they use. At their heart is hawala. The National recently produced compelling and frightening analysis highlighting how a seemingly ordinary car wash in Caerphilly, southern Wales, was central to a sophisticated, clandestine international people smuggling network.
Two responses leap to mind: another task force, to go with another summit; and good luck
They disclosed the link between money exchange shops in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region and the Fast Track Car Wash. The latter was used as cover for an extensive criminal operation. The police made arrests and seized material, including the names of outlets in Ranya, 4,800km away. Thousands of dollars were being transferred around the world to and from these premises to Caerphilly without any formal documentation or trace.
That is what hawala means, "transfer". It relies entirely on informality and trust, on the production of an agreed code, usually an innocuous token – half a matchstick or a torn piece of playing card – as proof of identity. The practice is ancient and because of its simplistic nature, it is uniquely tough to bust. A sharp-eyed customs officer might spot the matchstick or card when someone empties their pockets, but how do they prove what they were for?
There is evidence of hawala dating from 1327, in India, thought to be its home, although some say it goes back further, at least to the eighth century. Years ago, I went to Mumbai – at the time I was reporting on the difficulties the authorities were facing in smashing hawala’s use in the trafficking of drugs and other contraband. From talking to officers, some on secondment from HM Revenue and Customs in London, I found hawala played an absolutely key role. Sadly, they vented their frustration at not being able to penetrate and block what even then was a huge, totally secret activity.
It was all very well "following the money" as they had been instructed, but in reality that was easier said than done. Prosecuting traditional banks with their recoverable hard drives, documentation and CCTV, was nothing versus the impenetrability of hawala.
There have been successes. Usually, they rely on whistle-blowers. The National Crime Agency recently secured the conviction of an Iranian hawaladar, or broker, who hid behind a carpet business in Wood Green, North London. He was a middleman, accepting payments from migrants or their families, then paying it out, minus his commission, to the gangsters on completion of their journeys.
An Iranian in East London has also been jailed in Belgium for 11 years. He was thought to be the banker to 10,000 Channel crossings.
It is wrong, as some in the UK media have done, to characterise hawala as "Islamic". It is used just as heavily by non-Muslims. What tends to happen is that arrangements for a particular voyage of people or goods or any transaction, not necessarily illicit, are kept within a tight circle and that closed grouping invariably involves those of the same religious persuasion.
A UN report two years ago, The Hawala System: its operations and misuse by opiate traffickers and migrant smugglers, painted a bleak picture. "With a rich history dating back centuries, the hawala system can offer a unique blend of cultural compatibility, convenience, reliability, broad geographic reach and speed."
The awakening of governments really occurred earlier, with the 9/11 attacks, and a concerted move against terrorist financing and money laundering. The First International Conference on Hawala in May 2002 published the Regulatory Frameworks for Hawala and Other Remittance Systems. The International Monetary Fund contributed a chapter. Its concern was that countries with limited financial services suffer economic hardship because their citizens rely heavily on informal fund transfer systems such as hawala. They share common characteristics, including the desire for anonymity and avoiding regulation and official scrutiny. It is ideal, then, for use by groups intent on supporting terrorism and washing cash.
Timed with the summit, UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has set up a "task force" to emulate the success of Italy in cracking down on the mafia and its sources of illicit finance. "UK and Italian law enforcement officers, specialist financial investigators with mafia experience and forensic accountants are working together to freeze criminal bank accounts, carry out joint operations and mount more prosecutions against international people-smuggling gangs."
Two responses leap to mind: another task force, to go with another summit; and good luck.
Martin Hewitt, the government’s border security commander, told the summit that the only way to end the hazardous Channel crossings, responsible for more than 70 deaths last year, is through increased collaboration between European and international governments and law enforcement agencies.
There is nothing untoward about this approach – indeed, it is highly commendable. What we should not assume, as is the case in some quarters, is that this will somehow automatically translate into tangible results, leading to convictions and the end of hawala. It will not.
As long as we maintain a sense of perspective about an ancient pursuit that deliberately does not lend itself to exposure, we will not be disappointed.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
TUESDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY
Centre Court
Starting at 2pm:
Elina Svitolina (UKR) [3] v Jennifer Brady (USA)
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) v Belinda Bencic (SUI [4]
Not before 7pm:
Sofia Kenin (USA) [5] v Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
Maria Sakkari (GRE) v Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) [7]
Court One
Starting at midday:
Karolina Muchova (CZE) v Katerina Siniakova (CZE)
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) v Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR)
Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) v Dayana Yastermska (UKR)
Petra Martic (CRO) [8] v Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE)
Sorana Cirstea (ROU) v Anett Kontaveit (EST)
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MATCH INFO
Arsenal 1 (Aubameyang 12’) Liverpool 1 (Minamino 73’)
Arsenal win 5-4 on penalties
Man of the Match: Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal)
Company profile
Name: Tratok Portal
Founded: 2017
Based: UAE
Sector: Travel & tourism
Size: 36 employees
Funding: Privately funded
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Inter Milan 2 (Vecino 65', Barella 83')
Verona 1 (Verre 19' pen)
Votes
Total votes: 1.8 million
Ashraf Ghani: 923,592 votes
Abdullah Abdullah: 720,841 votes
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
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UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
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WHAT IS GRAPHENE?
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were experimenting with sticky tape and graphite, the material used as lead in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But when they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
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- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
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Getting there
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.
The stay
Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.
Skeleton Coast Safaris’ four-day adventure involves joining a very small group in a private plane, flying to some of the remotest areas in the world, with each night spent at a different camp. It costs from US$8,335.30 (Dh30,611); www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
