Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS)
The Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS) is the central office for reporting suspected cases of money laundering and terrorist financing. It performs the tasks of a Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). This is the internationally accepted term for government agencies that are responsible for investigating financial transactions for the purpose of countering money laundering and terrorist financing. The institution was established in response to the Recommendations formulated by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
Main activities
Intelligence
MROS receives suspicious activity reports (SARs) from financial intermediaries and merchants pursuant to either the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) or the Swiss Civil Code (SCC). It conducts its own analyses and adds information to the SARs that it receives. MROS decides on a case-by-case basis whether or not a given SAR should be forwarded to a law enforcement agency, either the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) or a cantonal prosecutor's office.
Cooperation
At national level, MROS shares information with the relevant authorities. It also works with foreign FIUs at operational and strategic level, as required by international standards. MROS is a member of the Egmont Group, an international network of around 177 operationally independent FIUs. The sharing of financial information is of the utmost importance and serves as a cornerstone in international efforts to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and associated predicate offences.
Prevention
MROS also works with national partners to assess the national risks of money laundering and terrorist financing. It produces strategic analyses (identifying patterns and trends) and shares the knowledge gained with the authorities, the financial services industry and the general public. MROS is part of the interdepartmental coordinating group on combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism (CGMF). There it heads the ‘Risk Analysis’ subgroup and is jointly responsible for producing both general and thematic risk analyses (NRA).
Hierarchy
MROS is comprised of six divisions and is part of fedpol's Crime Prevention and Legal Affairs Directorate.
Last modification 28.11.2024
