Part 7

Money Laundering

Offences

Tipping off: regulated sector
333A
1
A person commits an offence if—
a
the person discloses any matter within subsection (2);
b
the disclosure is likely to prejudice any investigation that might be conducted following the disclosure referred to in that subsection; and
c
the information on which the disclosure is based came to the person in the course of a business in the regulated sector.
2
The matters are that the person or another person has made a disclosure under this Part—
a
to a constable,
b
to an officer of Revenue and Customs,
c
to a nominated officer, or
d
to a
National Crime Agency officer
authorised for the purposes of this Part by the Director General of that Agency,
of information that came to that person in the course of a business in the regulated sector.
3
A person commits an offence if—
a
the person discloses that an investigation into allegations that an offence under this Part has been committed is being contemplated or is being carried out;
b
the disclosure is likely to prejudice that investigation; and
c
the information on which the disclosure is based came to the person in the course of a business in the regulated sector.
4
A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—
a
on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or to both;
b
on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to a fine, or to both.
5
This section is subject to—
a
section 333B (disclosures within an undertaking or group
etc
),
b
section 333C (other permitted disclosures between institutions
etc
), and
c
section 333D (other permitted disclosures
etc
).
Ss. 333A-333E inserted (26.12.2007) by Terrorism Act 2000 and Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Amendment) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/3398), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 4
Pt. 7 applied (24.2.2003) by Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Crown Servants) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/173), regs. 1, 3
Words in s. 333A(2)(d) substituted (7.10.2013) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(2), Sch. 8 para. 132; S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(v)