Justice Minister Toni Gogu took part in the informal meeting of the Council of Europe’s Justice Ministers. He spoke during a panel on the role of financial intelligence in combating money laundering and financial crime.
During his remarks, Gogu stressed that the main challenge today is not collecting financial information. Instead, authorities must turn that information into investigations, prosecutions, asset seizures, and confiscations.
He said the key question is whether countries can transform financial data into judicial action before criminal profits become criminal power.
Furthermore, Gogu highlighted Albania’s progress in the fight against financial crime. He noted that money laundering cases registered by SPAK have more than tripled in recent years. At the same time, financial investigations have led to the seizure and confiscation of assets worth more than €45 million, including crypto-assets.
In addition, the minister underlined the importance of international cooperation. He said financial crime crosses borders and requires institutions to cooperate as quickly as criminal networks operate.
Finally, Gogu emphasized that authorities must follow the money, not only the criminals. He added that stronger cooperation and effective financial investigations remain essential tools in the fight against organized crime, money laundering, and the financing of terrorism.
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