New anti-money laundering laws in Singapore target kingpins’ profits from environmental crime

Illegal mining at a deforested area in Brazil. Environmental offences generate up to $365 billion in criminal gains annually. - PHOTO: REUTERS

SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): In a 2022 Interpol video, Kittichai Runglaiboonwong from Thailand’s Department of National Parks walks around piles of illegally logged timber.

At US$290 (S$380) per kg, a 59kg bag of agarwood could easily fetch about US$14,500, he says.