Importance of meaningful co- operation in preventing and interdicting economically motivated crime and misconduct The Sri Lankan perspective Asanga Abeyagoonasekera Institute of National Security Studies Sri Lanka, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper will attempt to depict the importance of meaningful co-operation in preventing and interdicting economically motivated crime and misconduct in Sri Lanka while exploring the challenges faced by the state, its bureaucracy, extremist threat, war on drugs and anti-money laundering/ countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) mechanisms. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative and secondary data. Findings – While mechanisms to introduce legislation and implement the national actions plan on combating bribery and corruption will add significant value to the entire system, Sri Lanka will need to improve co-operation among domestic and international agencies to overcome the challenges. For domestic co-operation educating the bureaucracy is essential in this regard who would take a central role in advising the policymakers. Originality/value – Sri Lankan perspective has not been discussed on challenges faced by the state, its bureaucracy, extremist threat, war on drugs and AML/CFT mechanisms. Paper was presented at the Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime 2019. Keywords Sri Lanka, Anti-money laundering, Countering the financing of terrorism, Economically motivated crime Paper type Viewpoint Introduction “The old world is dying, and the new world struggling to be born: now is the time of monsters”– Antonio Gramsci It is fitting to quote Gramsci because the monsters we have created are real especially the extremist threat that entered Sri Lanka on April 21, 2019. Dr Emma Sky has clearly explained the instability in the Middle East and its ripple effect to all nations in her new book In a Time of Monsters: Travels through the Middle East in Revolt. Instability of the Middle East is the direct geopolitical consequence we all are facing today. Millions of refugees fleeing the horror to the extremist terror that affected London, Paris, Brussels and Colombo are products and results of geopolitics in the Middle East. This paper will attempt to depict the importance of meaningful co-operation in preventing and interdicting economically motivated crime and misconduct in Sri Lanka while exploring the challenges faced by the state, its bureaucracy, extremist threat, war on Importance of meaningful co- operation Journal of Financial Crime © Emerald Publishing Limited 1359-0790 DOI 10.1108/JFC-01-2020-0009 The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/1359-0790.htm