Trade-Based Money Laundering

Trade-Based Money Laundering (TBML) has become one of the most complex and globally pervasive forms of financial crime. By manipulating legitimate trade transactions through mis-invoicing, false documentation, phantom shipments, and opaque ownership structures criminals disguise and move illicit value across borders while blending into normal commerce.

For South Africa and the wider Southern African region, TBML poses a unique threat. The country’s role as a major trade and logistics hub, its deep financial markets, and its connections with high-risk jurisdictions make it an attractive channel for laundering proceeds from corruption, tax evasion, and organised crime.

This course is designed for professionals operating across the trade ecosystem where TBML risks are most acute, including:

• Financial institutions (trade finance teams, AML/CFT specialists, correspondent banking units)
• Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs), particularly those involved in cross-border transactions
• Import/export businesses, freight forwarders, and logistics providers
• Customs officials and border control authorities
• Regulators, supervisors, and law enforcement agencies
• Compliance officers, risk managers, and investigators responsible for financial crime detection and oversight

Across these roles, individuals are uniquely positioned to identify inconsistencies between trade activity and financial flows making them critical control points in detecting and disrupting TBML.

The course equips participants with the knowledge and tools to recognise, prevent, and respond effectively to TBML activity, with a focus on practical red flags, documentation analysis, and risk-based controls tailored to the regional context.