Requesting information from individuals and/or institutions, including banks
Most jurisdictions will have legislation regarding how law enforcement and other agencies require interviews, production of documents and data, and other access to potential evidence during the course of an investigation (and particularly after the arrest of suspects or under a legal procedure). Accessing information held by financial institutions or certain professionals, such as doctors or lawyers, is often more difficult. Certainly information from financial services institutions, such as banks, are also governed by confidentiality legislation and require a formal order from a prosecutor or court. Furthermore, obtaining information from foreign jurisdictions depends on treaty relationships between countries, and may require a lengthy formal procedure. Countries with a Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and money laundering legislation will have access to information reported to the FIU under its suspicious transactions/activities reporting arrangements. Some countries now have legislation that ensures that suspects are not alerted and that potentially illicit assets are not moved.