Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Act 2018

Additional measures where implementation of policies and procedures is not possible

30. The Act of 2010 is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 57:

57A. (1) Where a competent authority receives a notification under section 57(3)(b) and is not satisfied that the additional measures applied in accordance with that subsection are sufficient for the purposes of carrying out customer due diligence and preventing and detecting the commission of money laundering and terrorist financing it shall exercise additional supervisory actions, where necessary requesting a group to close down its operations in the third country and may, by notice in writing, direct the designated person to take such additional actions as the competent authority considers necessary to mitigate the risk of money laundering or terrorist financing.

(2) A notice under subsection (1)—

(a) may direct the group—

(i) not to establish a business relationship,

(ii) to terminate a business relationship, or

(iii) not to undertake a transaction,

and

(b) shall specify the matters which, in the opinion of the competent authority, give rise to the risk of money laundering or terrorist financing and in respect of which the additional measures taken are insufficient.

(3) A notice under subsection (1) shall take effect—

(a) where the notice so declares, immediately the notice is received by the person on whom it is served,

(b) in any other case—

(i) where no appeal is taken against the notice, on the expiration of the period during which such an appeal may be taken or the day specified in the notice as the day on which it is to come into effect, whichever is the later, or

(ii) in case such an appeal is taken, on the day next following the day on which the notice is confirmed on appeal or the appeal is withdrawn or the day specified in the notice as that on which it is to come into effect, whichever is the later.

(4) A designated person that is aggrieved by a notice may, within the period of 30 days beginning on the day on which the notice is served, appeal against the notice to the High Court and in determining the appeal the court may—

(a) if the court is satisfied that in the circumstances of the case it is reasonable to do so, confirm the notice, with or without modification, or

(b) cancel the notice.

(5) The bringing of an appeal against a notice which is to take effect in accordance with subsection (3)(a) shall not have the effect of suspending the operation of the notice, but the appellant may apply to the court to have the operation of the notice suspended until the appeal is disposed of and, on such application, the court may, if it thinks proper to do so, direct that the operation of the notice be suspended until the appeal is disposed of.

(6) Where on the hearing of an appeal under this section a notice is confirmed the High Court may, on the application of the appellant, suspend the operation of the notice for such period as in the circumstances of the case the High Court considers appropriate.

(7) A person who appeals under subsection (4) against a notice or who applies for a direction suspending the application of the notice under subsection (6) shall at the same time notify the competent authority concerned of the appeal or the application and the grounds for the appeal or the application and the competent authority shall be entitled to appear, be heard and adduce evidence on the hearing of the appeal or the application.

(8) A designated person that fails to comply with a direction made by the competent authority for that designated person under subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a class A fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months (or both), or

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years (or both).

(9) A competent authority may, by notice in writing to the designated person concerned, vary or revoke a notice under subsection (1).”.