19 Palestinian officials attend training course in Gujarat for combating financial crimes
Nineteen senior officials from war-torn Palestine are currently undergoing training at Gujarat-based Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) for combating financial crime. These officials are from the customs department of Palestine, official sources said.
“Under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, we train law enforcement officials from various friendly countries. The training is funded by the MEA and is part of the soft diplomacy of India. Currently we are offering a special programme for customs officials from Palestine. About 20 officials were nominated for this programme, but only 19 were able to attend the training in the area of online commerce fraud and combating economic and financial crimes,” Ravish Shah, Director, International Cooperation and Relations branch of RRU told businessline.
The School of Behavioural Sciences and Forensic Investigations (SBSFI) at RRU in partnership with its International Cooperation and Relations Branch is conducting this two-week specialised training programme for senior officials from Palestine from August 18-29. Dr Mahmoud Sharif Mustafa Zytoon, a senior official from the General Investigation Department of Palestinian Police said, “This course is very important for my colleagues and friends in other departments like Customs Police.
This is to gain knowledge and specialist training in combating economic and financial crimes. We need more such training sessions and for longer duration.” When asked how the officials planned to implement their learnings after returning to Palestine which is currently in conflict with Israel, “Some areas are are experiencing intense conflicts, while in some it is on a medium (scale). But it is during these times we need more knowledge on economic and financial crimes,” Zytoon remarked.
RRU stated that curriculum for the Palestinians has been meticulously crafted to address critical aspects of financial crime investigation and prevention. Key topics at the training will include trade-based money laundering (TBML), a sophisticated method used to disguise the origins of illicit funds through international trade transactions. Beyond rigorous classroom sessions, participants are scheduled to undertake crucial visits to various financial institutions and regulatory bodies. These visits aim to provide invaluable insights into the operational mechanisms and best practices employed in different systems, fostering a deeper understanding of financial crime prevention and investigation.
Discussions during the training will also delve into terrorist financing, examining the various channels and methods employed by terrorist organisations to fund their operations and the critical need for international cooperation to disrupt these networks. A significant portion of the agenda will be dedicated to exploring the legal and institutional frameworks essential for effective enforcement against financial crimes, highlighting best practices in legislation, regulatory oversight, and inter-agency collaboration.
Participants will also delve into advanced techniques crucial for modern financial crime investigations. These include the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and crime mapping to identify patterns and hot spots of illicit activity, providing a spatial dimension to financial intelligence. The training will also feature in-depth sessions on open-source intelligence (OSINT), demonstrating how publicly available information can be leveraged to uncover financial crime networks and identify perpetrators. Finally, given the rapid evolution of digital currencies, a critical focus will be placed on the complexities of money laundering involving cryptocurrency, addressing the unique challenges and emerging solutions in tracing and seizing illicit digital assets.
Published on August 22, 2025
