[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 176 (Tuesday, September 11, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46014-46015]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-19655]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Financial Crimes Enforcement Network


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Renewal; 
Comment Request; Renewal Without Change of Anti-Money Laundering 
Programs for Precious Metals, Precious Stones, or Jewels

AGENCY: Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (``FinCEN''), U.S. 
Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: FinCEN invites comment on a renewal, without change, to 
information collections found in existing regulations requiring dealers 
in precious metals, stones, or jewels, to develop and implement written 
anti-money laundering programs reasonably designed to prevent those 
financial institutions from being used to facilitate money laundering 
and the financing of terrorist activities. This request for comments is 
being made pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA'') of 1995.

DATES: Written comments are welcome and must be received on or before 
November 13, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:
     Federal E-rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Refer to Docket Number 
FINCEN-2018-0014 and the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') 
control number 1506-0030.
     Mail: Policy Division, Financial Crimes Enforcement 
Network, P.O. Box 39, Vienna, VA 22183. Refer to Docket Number FINCEN-
2018-0014 and OMB control number 1506-0030.
    Please submit comments by one method only. Comments will also be 
incorporated to FinCEN's retrospective regulatory review process, as 
mandated by E.O. 12866 and 13563. All comments submitted in response to 
this notice will become a matter of public record. Therefore, you 
should submit only information that you wish to make publicly 
available.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The FinCEN Resource Center at 800-767-
2825 or electronically at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Bank Secrecy Act (``BSA''), Titles I and 
II of Public Law 91-508, as amended, codified at 12 U.S.C. 1829(b), 12 
U.S.C. 1951-1959, and 31 U.S.C. et seq., authorizes the Secretary of 
the Treasury, among other things, to require financial institutions to 
keep records and file reports that are determined to have a high degree 
of usefulness in criminal, tax, and regulatory matters or in the 
conduct of intelligence or counter-intelligence activities to protect 
against international terrorism, and to implement counter-money 
laundering programs and compliance procedures.\1\ Title III of the USA 
PATRIOT Act of 2001, Public Law 107-56, included certain amendments to 
the anti-money laundering provisions of Title II of the BSA, 31 U.S.C. 
5311 et seq., which are intended to aid in the prevention, detection, 
and prosecution of international money laundering and terrorist 
financing.
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    \1\ Language expanding the scope of the BSA to intelligence or 
counter-intelligence activities to protect against international 
terrorism was added by Section 358 of the Uniting and Strengthening 
America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and 
Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, Public Law 107-56.
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    Regulations implementing Title II of the BSA appear at 31 CFR 
Chapter X. The authority of the Secretary of the Treasury to administer 
Title II of the BSA has been delegated to the Director of FinCEN. The 
information collected and retained under the regulation addressed in 
this notice assist federal, state, and local law enforcement as well as 
regulatory authorities in the identification, investigation and 
prosecution of money laundering and other matters.
    In accordance with the requirements of the PRA and its implementing 
regulations, the following information is presented concerning the 
information collection below.
    Title: Anti-Money Laundering Programs for Dealers in Precious 
Metals, Precious Stones, or Jewels (31 CFR 1027.210).
    OMB Control Number: 1506-0030.
    Abstract: Dealers in precious metals, precious stones, or jewels 
are required to develop and implement written anti-money laundering 
programs. A copy of the written program must be maintained for five 
years.
    Current Action: Renewal without change to existing regulations.
    Type of Review: Renewal without change to a currently approved 
information collection.
    Affected Public: Business and other for-profit institutions.
    Burden: Estimated Number of Respondents: 20,000.\2\
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    \2\ During the last information collection renewal, FinCEN did 
not receive any comments suggesting or requesting a different 
estimated number of respondents. The respondents are required to 
develop, implement, and maintain a copy of their program, but there 
is no requirement to report it to FinCEN. Therefore, FinCEN does not 
have an independent means of verifying this number.

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[[Page 46015]]

    Estimated Annual Responses: 20,000.
    Estimated Burden per Response: 1 hour.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 20,000 hours.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless the collection of 
information displays a valid control number assigned by the Office of 
Management and Budget. Records required to be retained under the BSA 
must be retained for five years. Generally, information collected 
pursuant to the BSA is confidential but may be shared as provided by 
law with regulatory and law enforcement authorities.
    Request for Comments: Comments submitted in response to this notice 
will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval. All 
comments will become a matter of public record. Comments are invited 
on: (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether 
the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information; (c) 
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (e) 
estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, 
maintenance and purchase of services to provide information.

Jamal El-Hindi,
Deputy Director, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
[FR Doc. 2018-19655 Filed 9-10-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4810-02-P