The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and the Malta Police Force (MPF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further increase and improve the efficacy of their co-operation and to strengthen the exchange of information with regards to gaming operations.
MGA signs MOU with Malta Police Force which aims at consolidating the efforts of the two authorities to combat gaming-related offences such as instances where parties are involved in joint operations requiring the seizure of objects and other illegal gaming activities. Moreover, the MOU also provides a basis for the creation of closer collaboration and sharing of expertise and knowledge in the two authorities' respective areas.
Anti-Crime Initiatives
During the signing ceremony the MGA’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Heathcliff Farrugia, expressed his satisfaction towards reaching this important milestone whilst the Commissioner of Police, Mr Lawrence Cutajar, stated that the MOU was one of the various initiatives being undertaken by the MPF to fight financial and computer-related crime.
Grants and Funding
Minister for Home Affairs and National Security Michael Farrugia held that the data of the economic crime unit with the MPF could be ‘centralised and accessible from the MPF and other entities that work together with the MPF.’ The Minister explained that this would help with investigations and understanding ‘between organised crime and economic crime.’
This MOU came about following a grant of €1.5 million to the Malta Police Force from the EU's Hercule III funding programme which aims at increasing the efficiency of economic and financial crime on a Europewide scale. Through the funds from this programme together with guidance from the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) the MPF is currently implementing a centralised repository of information that can be accessed by both local and foreign regulatory entities.
This MoU came into force as of 20 May 2019.
