Himal Press 
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KATHMANDU: Director General of the Department of Money Laundering Investigation, Gajendra Kumar Thakur, has warned that there is a higher risk of money laundering in the real estate and gold-silver trading sectors.
Speaking at an event organized on the occasion of National Anti-Money Laundering Day, 2025, held under the theme “Anti-Money Laundering: Transparency and Financial Governance”, said 3-5% of total gross domestic product (GDP) could be linked to terrorist activities and illicit activities.
“Since our economy is heavily cash-based with a large informal sector, weak regulation of modern systems, lack of skilled personnel and technology, and poor enforcement of existing laws continue to be major challenges in combating money laundering,” he added.
He underlined the need for a risk-based regulatory system, legal reforms and updates, improved coordination and cooperation among investigative agencies, enhanced international collaboration, and the use of modern technology to reduce crime.
Also speaking on the occasion, Minister for Finance Rameshwar Prasad Khanal reiterated that all sectors and agencies must work responsibly to remove Nepal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list as soon as possible. He urged that all necessary reforms should be completed ahead of schedule so that Nepal can exit the grey list within the next year.
The FATF put Nepal on its grey list in October 2011, citing deficiencies in its anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist financing frameworks. Countries on the grey list are subject to increased monitoring and are expected to make significant improvements in their regulatory and enforcement systems.
