The Ministry of Economy and Tourism has released the outcomes of its inspection rounds focused on the private sector’s adherence to anti-money laundering regulations during the first half of 2025. These inspections identified 1,063 violations, resulting in administrative penalties totaling over 42 million AED for establishments operating within designated non-financial businesses and professions.
This initiative is part of the ministry’s ongoing efforts to enhance compliance frameworks in the country, aligning them with international best practices and standards related to combating financial crimes.
The ministry stated that these violations are distributed across four areas under its supervision within the non-financial business and professional sectors. Specifically, 473 violations amounting to a total of 20 million AED were recorded against various establishments in the precious metals and gemstones trade sector.
Real estate agents faced 495 violations totaling nearly 18.5 million AED, and an additional 95 violations worth over 4 million AED were recorded for corporate service providers and auditors.
Safia Hashem Al-Safi, the Assistant Undersecretary for the Commercial Control and Governance Sector at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, highlighted that these findings demonstrate the ministry’s progress in developing a robust regulatory system using advanced methodologies aimed at ensuring high compliance levels with anti-money laundering legislation in the specified business and professional sectors, guided by a clear framework for both desk and field inspections.
She added, “The regulatory campaigns are an integral part of the ministry’s strategy to foster a business environment founded on transparency and governance, while activating proactive oversight tools to address risks related to money laundering and terrorist financing, thereby establishing the UAE as a reliable economic hub adhering to the highest global compliance and commitment standards.”
The inspection teams identified violations based on specific technical indicators and regulatory standards. She noted that the imposition of administrative penalties primarily aims to prompt establishments to rectify their situations and enhance their internal systems, specifically regarding the implementation of due diligence procedures, improving risk assessment quality, and boosting the reporting of suspicious transactions.
Through these efforts, the ministry aims to cultivate a culture of preventive compliance and foster genuine institutional awareness within the targeted sectors. Continuous field monitoring and evaluation are underway to ensure full adherence to relevant legislation.
The ministry urged entities subject to anti-money laundering regulations to take advantage of this period to enhance their compliance systems and meet regulatory requirements. It reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing inspection and regulatory campaigns based on meticulous oversight plans rooted in best practices.