DILI, 23 April 2026 (TATOLI) — Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão pledged to strengthen human resource development and institutional capacity to prevent and combat organised crime, following recent cases involving online scams and counterfeit money in the country.
Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão made the comments during his weekly meeting with President José Ramos-Horta at the Presidential Palace in Dili on Thursday.
Speaking amid growing concerns over transnational crime, Xanana Gusmão said Timor-Leste must strengthen its capacity to respond to emerging threats, including the recent identification and shutdown of online scam operations and the seizure of millions of U.S. dollars in counterfeit cash.
He acknowledged that the country’s prevention and enforcement systems remain less developed compared to those of countries such as the United States and Australia, stressing the need to learn from regional and international experience, particularly in identifying and dismantling criminal networks.
When asked about the government’s investigation into recent cases involving foreign nationals linked to online scams and counterfeit money, Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão said national institutions are working to strengthen their investigative capacity. He added that efforts are ongoing to improve coordination and technical capabilities to tackle organised crime.
Gusmão emphasised that Timor-Leste must continue to invest in “human resource capacity” to enhance investigations and enforcement.
He also pointed to weaknesses in border and port controls, saying institutions such as customs had not fully carried out their duties to prevent large quantities of counterfeit cash from entering the country.
“This is why we are trying to build and reinforce human resource capacity in the investigative institutions,” he said.
He said Timor-Leste authorities were able to seizure suspects after some of the counterfeit money was used in transactions, which helped investigators track down those involved, he added.
On international cooperation, Gusmão said Timor-Leste is working with regional partners to strengthen its response. He noted that the national intelligence service and the investigative police of the Polícia Nacional de Timor-Leste (PNTL) are collaborating with counterparts in Australia and Indonesia to combat organised crime.
The government sees capacity building and international cooperation as key pillars in addressing increasingly complex criminal activities in the country, he said.
TATOLI
