Data Analysis and Research for Trade Transparency System

Overview
ICE maintains the Data Analysis and Research for Trade Transparency System (DARTTS), which generates leads for and otherwise supports ICE investigations of trade-based money laundering, contraband smuggling, trade fraud, and other import-export crimes. DARTTS analyzes trade and financial data to identify statistically anomalous transactions that may warrant investigation. These anomalies are then independently confirmed and further investigated by experienced ICE investigators.

DARTTS is owned and operated by the ICE Trade Transparency Unit (TTU). Trade transparency is the concept of examining U.S. and foreign trade data to identify anomalies in patterns of trade. Such anomalies can indicate trade-based money laundering or other import- export crimes that ICE is responsible for investigating, such as contraband smuggling, trafficking of counterfeit goods, misclassification of goods, and the over- or under-valuation of goods to hide the proceeds of illegal activities. As part of the investigative process, ICE investigators and analysts must understand the relationships among importers, exporters, and the financing for a set of trade transactions, to determine which transactions are suspicious and warrant investigation. DARTTS is designed specifically to make this investigative process more efficient by automating the analysis and identification of anomalies for the investigator.

DARTTS allows ICE to perform research and analysis that is not available in any other system because of the data it contains and the level of detail at which the data can be analyzed.54 DARTTS does not seek to predict future behavior or “profile” individuals or entities (i.e., identify individuals or entities that meet a certain pattern of behavior that has been pre- determined to be suspect). Instead, it identifies trade and financial transactions that are statistically anomalous based on user-specified queries. Investigators follow up on the anomalous transactions to determine if they are in fact suspicious and warrant further investigation. Investigators gather additional facts, verify the accuracy of the DARTTS data, and use their judgment and experience in making that determination. Not all anomalies lead to formal investigations. DARTTS is currently used by ICE Special Agents and Criminal Research Specialists who work on TTU investigations at ICE Headquarters or in the ICE field and foreign attaché offices, as