Andina

Peru makes official law to freeze bank accounts linked to extortion

In order to strengthen the fight against this kind of crime

Police will be able to request the administrative freezing of bank accounts linked to possible extortion crimes. Foto: ANDINA/ Eddy Ramos

Police will be able to request the administrative freezing of bank accounts linked to possible extortion crimes. Foto: ANDINA/ Eddy Ramos

12:19 | Lima, dic. 20.

The Peruvian Congress of the Republic made official the regulation that freezes administratively the bank accounts whose holders are allegedly linked to the crime of extortion, in order to strengthen the fight against this crime.

The device, which was approved by insistence by Parliament last week, was published this Friday in the Legal Regulations bulletin of the Official Gazette El Peruano.

It establishes that the specialized units of the National Police of Peru (PNP) may request the Financial Intelligence Unit of Peru (UIF) to freeze funds or assets allegedly linked to the crime of extortion, which it brings to the attention of the Public Prosecutor's Office.

The PNP may do so after receiving one or more complaints for this criminal figure and determining the urgency of the circumstances or the danger in the delay, whenever it is necessary due to the dimension and nature of the investigation.

In addition, the Police must accompany its request to the UIF with evidence that supports the administrative freezing of the aforementioned funds or assets.

Meanwhile, the Executive Branch must adapt the Regulations of Law 27693, the Law that creates the UIF, within a period of no more than 60 calendar days, counted from its entry into force.

For its part, the Superintendency of Banking, Insurance and Private Pension Fund Administrators (SBS in Spanish) will dictate the necessary measures for compliance with the law.

Finally, a complementary provision is incorporated by which the National Police is empowered to intercept illegal communications coming from penitentiary establishments in order to prevent, investigate and prosecute crime, in the exercise of its intelligence actions.

The legal device bears the signature of the president of Congress, Eduardo Salhuana; and the first vice president of said institution, Patricia Juárez.

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Published: 12/20/2024