What is an ARIN and what does it do?
An asset recovery interagency network (ARIN) is an informal network of specialists and practitioners who operate in the asset tracing, freezing, and recovery space. ARINs assist law enforcement agencies (LEAs) from different countries to work together to better combat money laundering.
Origins of ARIN-AP
Inspired by the Camden Asset Recovery Interagency Network (CARIN) and supported by the United Nations Office On Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office of the Republic of Korea held a meeting in Seoul from 19-20 November 2013 to establish an asset recovery interagency network for the Asia-Pacific region which would facilitate cross-border cooperation and mutual legal assistance (MLA) to asset recovery specialists in the region. Since its foundation, ARIN-AP has grown in size and is presently comprised of 28 member states and ten observers.
How ARIN-AP works
The network is funded primarily the Korean government and receives additional support from UNODC and member countries for workshops. The ARIN-AP network includes as part of its structure a president and steering committee, who are in charge of the network’s activities, external communications, and meetings. The presidency of the network rotates annually, with India assuming the presidency for 2026, following Mongolia in 2025.
Contact Points
The network also includes representatives from member states called contact points, which can be an agency or a person tasked with receiving and responding to requests made by other member states and accompanying agencies (usually either a judicial or asset recovery authority or an appropriate LEA).
Contact points are assisted by secretariats who facilitate the communication between them by (for example) suggesting a common set of terminologies or language, or the use of templates that would be helpful in assisting investigators.
As a result of this cooperation, instead of having to go through red tape or cumbersome diplomatic channels, LEAs from different jurisdictions can speak to one another more quickly. By reducing the delays in international cooperation LEAs can act swiftly to trace and confiscate illicit assets.
Other ARINs
At present, there are eight ARIN networks around the world:
- CARIN: Europe
- ARIN-AP: Asia-Pacific
- ARIN-CARIB: Caribbean
- ARIN-EA: Eastern Africa
- ARIN-SA: Southern Africa
- ARIN-WA: West Africa
- ARIN-WCA: West and Central Asia
- RRAG: Asset recovery network of Latin America (GAFILAT)
Partner Organisations
Part of ARIN-AP’s stated mission and objectives is to “[f]orm a solid international network with other related organizations, such as UNODC and CARIN”. ARINs also work with organisations such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which observed in its November 2023 report Recovering the International Proceeds of Crime through Inter-Agency Networks that the “relationship between ARINs and FATF-style Regional Bodies (FSRBs) varies considerably from one region to another. In some cases, there is close co-ordination, with the FSRBs, while in others there is none”. In cases where there is coordination with FSRBs, this can result in engagements such as ARIN meetings hosted by an FSRB.
UNODC support
As mentioned, one of ARIN-AP’s supporters (and observer members) is UNODC, who provides (as noted in the FATF’s report) assistance to those member states in the network that struggle with providing or responding to informal international cooperation requests.
Annual ARIN meetings
Once a year, ARIN-AP participates in an annual ARIN-wide general meeting that involves all other regional ARINs that is hosted by CARIN, where attendees discuss best industry practices and share important experiences.
These annual meetings also provide the opportunity for ARINs to run learning and/or training sessions that raise awareness of their particular regional priorities or build capacities for region members. These sessions, as observed by the FATF, are frequently “held in partnership with other international bodies, such as UNODC, and other national authorities that host these meetings”.
These sessions can also involve LEAs and provide opportunities to network and build or improve relationships with LEA representatives as well as improve their capacity by assisting them in improving their skills, resources, and more.
ARIN secretariats and websites
Each ARIN has a website that is maintained by a secretariat who, in addition to working with contact points, is also tasked with ensuring the currency of the information provided online.
Each region’s website can provide members with sensitive information such as recent and past presentations as well as case and meeting summaries. However, as not all ARINs are alike, not all regional networks will operate the same way or provide the same offerings.
In the case of ARIN-AP, the website at present provides a basic overview of the organisation, its mission statement, and contact information. To access all other available files, documents, and announcements, including AGM notices, contact lists, case studies, and working documents, members need to log into ARIN-AP’s member portal. And as noted by the FATF, case information is only provided “via public or business email”.
Key takeaways
The Asset Recovery Interagency Network Asia-Pacific provides an opportunity to improve the effectiveness of the work conducted by legal and law enforcement specialists in confiscating and recovering illicit assets by increasing the speed of communication between member jurisdictions, thus improving the trust and sharing of best practices and information between them.
