BVI Company Check

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) is one of the world’s leading financial centres. So, why would you want a BVI company check? In basic terms, to find out about the company. Checks on businesses are conducted when you need to verify the legitimacy of a company, or are, perhaps, undertaking investigative due diligence. Questions such as – does it even exist? How long has it existed? What type of company is it, and how about the Authorised Share Capital? The problems arise when you ask who is behind the company. Who are the directors, where are they based, how many are there? Sadly, this information is usually not made public.

Link Analysis Charting

What is link analysis and its role within private investigations? Simply put, link analysis is the process of examining links between people, organizations, assets, events and physical or digital documents. When a complex project involves looking at 100s of entities, it can be impossible to understand the links—particularly important ones— without a visual representation. Link analysis charting is the drawing of all the connections. These charts assist professional investigators to focus on criminal leads more easily and help to brief clients.

Shark Fin Trade: Case Study

What is the illegal shark fin trade? Each year, according to various estimates, up to 75 million sharks are killed for their fins. The killing of sharks is not an offence unless they are endangered or protected. Unfortunately, many of the sharks caught are. For instance, in May 2020, Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department seized 26 tons of sharks’ fins from two containers that arrived from Ecuador. The fins were from an estimated 38,500 sharks. The vast majority came from two vulnerable species: the thresher and silky shark. Sadly, Hong Kong remains a major hub of the shark fin trade.

Trade in Ivory: Case Study

What is the trade in ivory? For centuries, traders brought elephant tusks to Hong Kong and China. Craftsmen then carved the ivory into ornate bangles, earrings, statues, and of course, chop sticks. Much took place in Hong Kong.
In January 2018, lawmakers voted to finally end the Hong Kong trade in ivory at the end of 2021. The original worldwide ban on international commercial trade in ivory came into effect in 1989. However, because of various loopholes in the law, the ban actually facilitated the ‘laundering’ of ivory by allowing traders to abuse the system. When they sold an item, they simply replaced it with new ivory, and covered up the sale.
When lawmakers announced the new total ban in January 2018 in Hong Kong, only an estimated 350,000 African elephants remained. There had been 490,000 a decade previously. Poaching for ivory was the primary reason.

Trade in Totoaba: Case Study

What is totoaba? Totoaba is a highly endangered species of fish. It is found in the Gulf of California, Mexico, only. Totoaba’s swim bladder is highly treasured in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and specialist restaurants. The fishing of totoaba has been banned since 1975 but the illegal trade in this endangered fish continues. The large gillnets used to catch totoaba also trap vaquita. The vaquita is now the world’s rarest marine mammal and is on the brink of extinction.

Criminal Record Check

So what is a criminal record check and when would you need one? A criminal record is a history of a person’s criminal history. There are two common reasons for acquiring one. Firstly, a new employer may want to ensure you have no criminal convictions. Secondly, if you apply for a loan, the lender may wish to verify your credibility and trustworthiness. The process of obtaining a copy of a criminal record varies depending on the country and state where you have lived and worked. In some countries, such as Hong Kong, you will not receive a copy. Instead, the results will be sent direct to organization requiring the check—for example, your potential employer.