INTERPOL's definition of money laundering is: "any act or attempted act to conceal or disguise the identity of illegally obtained proceeds so that they appear to have originated from legitimate sources".

Illegally obtained funds are laundered and moved around the globe using and abusing shell companies, intermediaries and money transmitters. In this way, the illegal funds remain hidden and are integrated into legal business and into the legal economy.

At INTERPOL, we work to combat money laundering through the global exchange of data, supporting operations in the field, and bringing together experts from the variety of sectors concerned. We work closely with other international organizations to foster international awareness of the importance of using financial investigative techniques against organized criminal activities and to avoid duplication of effort.