Every year, billions of euros legally cross European borders in transparent transfers for private or professional purposes. But alongside these official channels, a parallel system operates in the shadows. Hawala is illegal in many parts of Europe, yet it continues to thrive as a sprawling, highly structured network linked to organised crime. It is used to launder the proceeds of drug trafficking, terrorism and human smuggling on a global scale.
An investigation into terrorism financing in Belgium led the authorities to one of the largest hawala cases ever uncovered in Europe. The inquiry is being led by federal magistrate Vincent Guerra, who was unequivocal: 'These are not amateurs. This is fully professional and beyond anything we could have imagined.'
Now, a team of European investigative journalists, working through the EBU Investigative Journalism Network (a cross-border collaboration of public broadcasters) is joining forces to map the full scope of the network, trace its links to international money-laundering operations, and reveal how legitimate businesses, sometimes unwittingly, have become part of the chain.
