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29 J. Fin. Crime 1 (2022)

handle is hein.journals/jfc29 and id is 1 raw text is: Editorial Still at the stumps! Believe it or not there was a time - not too long ago, when largely informal networks actually provided a surprisingly effective system between agencies for at least prevention and minimisation of harm caused by criminals, albeit rarely leading to court proceedings. The remnants of empire and the heritage of various initiatives during and after the wars left a relatively rich tapestry across the world of tolerably like-minded souls who were prepared to do their bit. Whether defunct spies, minor merchant adventurers or simply retired district officer types, these variously willing and competent individuals in an almost boys' own manner were often only too ready to respond to an albeit fading sense of what was patriotically the correct thing to do. As the cold war became colder in some places, these remnants were organised into interesting initiatives often rather more committed and able to hold things together than the new governments. Sanctions against South Africa resulted in state sponsored sanctions busting and the moving of many aspects of what we would consider to be economic crime to new levels. The frontline states increasing became victims of activity that deliberately targeted their economic viability. It also became clearer with the faltering of banking structures close to the USSR, particularly in Hong Kong, that state sponsored economic misconduct was not confined to BOSS in Pretoria. Commonwealth governments, meeting in Winnipeg in 1977, recognised that police force to police force action was inadequate to address these threats, and still, in many countries, the intelligence agencies almost did not exist for many official purposes. Interpol, to the extent it did anything constructive, appeared to prioritise the concerns of Northern European police forces. Law Ministers, meeting in Barbados in 1979, accepted the recommendations contained in two reports and established an agency to work closely with the General Secretariat of Interpol and with the benefit of diplomatic status throughout the Commonwealth assist in the disruption of economically relevant crime. With a network of official liaison officers extending well beyond the Commonwealth and including countries such as the USA, Indonesia and even Taiwan, it was years before its time and this was probably its nemesis. With a small expert central staff supplemented from other agencies, it was primarily concerned with developing intelligence from official and unofficial sources including what remained of the colonial old boys' network and within the law acting proactively to minimise the impact of economic and, after the Law Minister meeting in Sri Lanka in 1983, organised crime. Although this initiative ran for only a decade, it gave birth to the Cambridge Symposium on Economic Crime, which has just held its 38th annual symposium at Jesus College, Cambridge. To strengthen its network and as it turned out rather forlornly in an attempt to generate greater interest within the international academy, the symposium was launched some 39 years ago, with the support of the University of Cambridge among many others, to promote independent, informed discussion and strengthen understanding and thereby facilitate co-operation. The symposium before the pandemic regularly attracted nearly 2,000 policy makers, diplomats, judges, regulators, law enforcement, security and intelligence personnel together with financial institutions and their professional advisers with the odd academic or two. Last year the programme was postponed, although a series of presentations were placed on the organising institution's website www.crimesymposium. org. Journal oFinancial Crime Vol.29 No. 1,2022 pp. 1-3 ©Emerald Publishing Limited 1359-0790 DOI 10.110SIJFC01-OZ2-23 Editorial

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