Thank You to our Sponsors and Exhibitors
2023 Review
For attendees only, password protected. Contact events@recon-intl.com if you didn’t receive your password.
Nassau – a Spectacular Setting for HSP Latin America 2023
Nassau, the Bahamas was the spectacular setting for the 10th HSP (High Security Printing) Latin America conference, which welcomed over 240 delegates from 118 organisations and 38 countries, over half from Latin America and the Caribbean.
As seen in many previous years, Latin America is an attractive and evolving market with many developments in both currency and identity documents along the coastlines of the Caribbean and Pacific.
Following the completion of the Bahamas’ new CRISP Evolution series back in 2021, Nassau seemed like the natural choice to locate this year’s HSP Latin America. Indeed, the event was originally scheduled to take place two years ago, to coincide with the completion, until COVID got in the way.
The conference opened with two seminars, one of which was run by identity verification solutions provider Onfido focusing on document fraud in an online environment and the challenges organisations deal with when trying to authenticate documents remotely.



The second seminar, titled ‘Fighting Counterfeiting and Adulteration of Documents and Banknotes’, was run by Regula Forensics and provided an introduction to forensic sciences and the classification of research items related to documents and currency, along with a study of the specialty of criminalistics in this field.
The main programme was opened by Derek Rolle, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of the Bahamas (CBB), welcoming delegates and providing an introduction to the country and its environment, and the role of the central bank in its economy.
Presentations followed from the CBB on highlights of its currency programme and changes across the most recent family of banknotes, and from Landqart (the substrate supplier for the higher denominations and platinum sponsor for the event) on durability and creativity when developing new note series and how it pushed the technological boundaries for the new Bahamian series. The Brazilian Ministry of Interior closed the session with a presentation on the new Brazilian ID documents.
The programme then split into separate currency and ID tracks, with the currency sessions covering Regional Currency Developments, Production and Print, Substrates and Features and Sustainability and the Environment.
In the first currency track, delegates heard from the Central Bank of Bolivia on how its new series has brought down counterfeiting levels and from the Bank of Mexico on ‘what comes next’, specifically the work undertaken after issuing the new G series (which it completed in 2021). The Bank is now focusing on the automation of counterfeit analysis and the study of raw materials, features and technologies through its Methodology for the Analysis of Security Features, or MEAS (which it described in detail). This methodology is being applied to the development of a contingency feature (a micro-optics stripe), which it aims to have concluded by 2024 with the launch of a new housenote.
CCL Secure also spoke on the facts behind polymer, with an emphasis on sustainability and examples of successful recycling strategies in Costa Rica and Mexico, both of which are recycling 100% of their end of life polymer banknotes.
A further presentation from the CBB, meanwhile, looked at the experience to date of the Sand Dollar, a digital version of the Bahamian currency and the world’s first Central Bank Digital Currency. It is early days still, with take-up low, but the CBB has a number of initiatives in the pipeline to increase adoption, including integration with government offices so that the Sand Dollar can be used for payments, the development of a functional offline solution and a roll-out in the many islands that make up the Bahamas through community visits and seeding Sand Dollar wallets through giveaways and promotions.
The second currency session, on Production and Print, looked at the implementation of lean manufacturing strategies at the Bank of Mexico to increase productivity and standardise processes given increase demand for banknotes in the country.
Canadian Banknote spoke on the topic of ‘embracing choice’ (it was another key supplier for the new Bahamian series) and the innovation that was generated through partnership with other suppliers.
Delegates also heard from Seprinto about the pros and cons of new versus refurbished banknote printing presses, whilst De La Rue’s presentation focused on a celebration of polymer notes in the Caribbean, having in the last few years created new series on SAFEGUARD® for Trinidad and Tobago, the East Caribbean, Barbados and, most recently, Jamaica. A particular emphasis was made on the designs and features in the notes for the visually-impaired, given the high incidence of adults with vision loss in the region.


A fascinating session on Substates and Features saw presentations from Oberthur Fiduciaire on its new micro-optics thread Pulsar™, combining colour shift and dynamic effects; from Hueck Folien on holographic stripes (with special examples featuring Caribbean marine life); from IQ Structures on its use of artificial intelligence to assist (but not, it was at pains to point out, replace) hologram designers; from SURYS on its new generation of plasmonic features based on nano-structures for windows in polymer notes; and from PWPW on the commemorative note recently launched on polymer to celebrate the life of the renowned Polish astronomer and inventor of the heliocentric theory, Nicolas Copernicus.
The fifth session switched to Sustainability and the Environment, with presentations from Louisenthal on combining sustainability, durability and security in banknotes through its Green Banknote initiative, and from Hunkeler on sustainability in the banknote destruction process.
BlendPaper of Brazil took delegates through its work on recycling banknote waste, in a project named Tran$forma, in partnership with Casda da Moeda do Brasil and the Equipa Group. A specially developed process transforms pre- and post-processing residue into pulp which can be made into specialty and security papers, packaging and, in the near future, banknote paper as well.
Jura, meanwhile, focused on environmentally friendly intaglio printing solutions, in particular its new S-DLE (Steel Direct Laser Engraving) technology, which it described as a showstopper. Tests have shown that the new material and process dramatically speed up the platemaking process, reduce costs and benefit the environment by doing away with galvanic chroming, all without any loss of quality.


Over in the ID track, the first session was on recent developments in passports. It included presentations from Argentina’s National Directorate for Migration on challenges in document issuance, Brazil’s Society of Forensic Sciences on counterfeit and falsified Brazilian passports, Casa da Moeda do Brasil on the design and development of the new Brazilian passport and Veridos on the recently introduced Costa Rican ePassport.
The following session focused on design and security for travel and identity documents with presentations from HID Global on the design of Estonian and Bahraini ePassports, Argentina’s National Registry on the use of AI in authentication of both physical and digital documents and Thales on the next generation ‘Phygital’ experience in identity.
Substrates and features were the focus of the next ID session on the second morning. The UK’s Luminescence Sun Chemical opened the session with a paper on securing documents using security inks, which was followed by a paper from the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Safety on virtual asylum ID document pilot, whilst the Austrian State Printing House explored the use of biometric barcode to secure documents and El Salvador National Registry of Natural Persons spoke on the latest developments in the country’s national identity scheme.
The final ID session saw four presentations on document fraud and anti-counterfeiting. This included a paper from IDEMIA on how colour portraits in polycarbonate documents help prevent forgery; HSI Forensic Laboratory of the US Department of Homeland Security on document fraud trends along the southwest border in El Paso, Texas; a presentation from Mexico’s Department for Protection of Documents and Forensic Sciences on the latest trends in document counterfeiting in Mexico; and a paper from Chile’s Criminalistic Laboratory on methods fraudsters use to alter government-issued documents in Chile.
The final session of the conference focused on technology and innovation, with fascinating presentations from the Bank of Spain titled ‘Neurocash – a New Way of Designing Cash’, a methodology to measure how humans behave when interacting with a banknote; from Casa de Moneda Chile on innovative security labels for vehicles; and from Landqart on bringing physical documents into the digital realm by printing a secure code inside the substrate (Durasafe Certify) and linking this with the code on the finished document so that the document, object and owner can be authenticated visually and digitally.
A specialised exhibition of over 40 companies was held alongside the conference sessions, providing delegates with an opportunity to see the latest industry products and solutions.
Other highlights of the event included the conference dinner in the beautiful gardens of the Grand Hayat Baha Mar and the presentation of the prestigious Regional Banknote and Regional ID Document of the Year awards.
Awards were made in several categories for this year’s Banknote awards – Best New Banknote, for which there were two winners, and Best New Series – with Argentina, Guyana and Barbados all receiving recognition.
For the ID awards, there were winners in all three categories – Best New Passport, Best New National ID Card, and Best New Other Security Document. This year, Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Bahamas all received recognition, with two of them getting a joint award.


Concluding the awards ceremony, a special Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Harald Klint, of Colombian security agency Imaprok, and among the best-known figures in the industry, particularly in the region.
On the final evening Reconnaissance organised the HSP volleyball match which was as competitive as expected, with all players giving it their best performance.
Reconnaissance is now shifting its focus to the HSP Asia event, which takes place in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 4-6 December. HSP Latin America 2024 will be going to Santiago, Chile in June.
Central Bank of Honduras
Bundesdruckeri
Banco Central de Costa Rica
Gallery
Click on any picture to see the full gallery.
M. One AG
PNO Global
Central Bank of Colombia
Attendees
AdvanIDe Americas
Uruguay
Afghanistan Revenue Department
Afghanistan
Andrews & Wykeham Ltd
United Kingdom
Angstrom Technologies, Inc.
USA
Antigua and Barbuda Transport Board
Antigua and Barbuda
Artazn
USA
Atos
Mexico
Baldwin Vision Systems
USA
Banco Central de Honduras
Honduras
Banco Central de la República Dominicana
Dominican Republic
Banco de España
Spain
Banco de Guatemala
Guatemala
Banco de México
Mexico
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Philippines
Banknote Corporation of America
USA
BlendPaper Security
Brazil
Border Force
United Kingdom
Brazilian Society of Forensic Sciences
Brazil
Canadian Bank Note Company
Canada
Carabineros de Chile, Laboratory Criminalistic “LABOCAR”
Chile
Casa da Moeda do Brasil
Brasil
Casa de Moneda de Chile
Chile
CCL Secure
Australia
Central Bank of Bahamas
Bahamas
Central Bank of Bolivia
Bolivia
Central Bank of Chile
Chile
Central Bank of Costa Rica
Costa Rica
CETIS
Slovenia
Corit International
Austria
Crane Currency
USA
Currency Research
De La Rue
United Kingdom
Drewsen Spezialpapiere GmbH & Co. KG
Germany
Elyctis
France
Evolis
USA
Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, UAE
United Arab Emirates
Formas Inteligentes
Mexico
Genco Cia Ltda
Ecuador
GET Group
USA
Giesecke + Devrient
Germany
Gleitsmann Security Inks
Germany
Grafica Latina S.R.L.
Argentina
GWT Gesellschaft für Wasser- und Wärmetechnik GmbH
Austria
HID Global
USA
Honeywell
United Kingdom
HSI Forensic Laboratory
USA
Hueck Folien GmbH
Austria
Hunkeler Systeme
Switzerland
IAI industrial Systems – part of HID
Colombia
IDEMIA
France
Imaprok
Colombia
Infineon
Brazil
InGroupe
France
Integrated Biometrics
USA
Intelident S.A.
Guatemala
IQ Structures
Czech Republic
Jura
Austria
Koenig & Bauer Banknote Solutions SA
Switzerland
Komori Corporation
Japan
LABOCAR Criminalistic Laboratory of Chile
Chile
Lahnpaper
Germany
Landqart
Switzerland
Luminescence Sun Chemical Security
United Kingdom
Luminochem Kft.
Hungary
M. One AG
United Kingdom
Magallanes Media S.A.
Argentina
MaskTech
Germany
MEMBRAFLOW Control Systems
Germany
Ministry of Interior, Brazil
Brazil
Ministry of Justice and Safety, Netherlands
Netherlands
Mint of Finland
Finland
Mühlbauer
Germany
National Department of Immigration Argentina
Argentina
National Institute of Criminalistics, Federal Police Department
Brazil
Oberthur Fiduciaire
France
Onfido
United Kingdom
Orell Füssli Ltd. Security Printing
Switzerland
Österreichische Staatsdruckerei
Austria
Otto Kunnecke
Germany
OVD Kinegram
Switzerland
Papierfabrik Louisenthal
Germany
PARVIS
Italy
Permaquim
Argentina
Petrel
France
Polish Security Printing Works (PWPW)
Poland
PPG
Brazil
Printex Corp
USA
Protection of Documents and Forensic Sciences (CSIPD&CF)
Mexico
Registro Nacional de las Personas
Argentina
REGISTRO NACIONAL DE LAS PERSONAS NATURALES
El Salvador
Regula Forensics
Latvia
Royal Canadian Mint
Canada
Royal Dutch Kusters Engineering
Netherlands
Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan (RMA)
Bhutan
Security Fibres
United Kingdom
Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL)
India
SELP
France
Seprinto & Partners
Austria
SPM – Security Paper Mill
Czech Republic
Stardust Materials
USA
SURYS
France
Thales
France
Thomas Greg & Sons Mexico
Mexico
Valid Soluções
Brazil
Veriddica
Colombia
Veridos
Germany
WTG Water Treatment GmbH
Austria
SICPA
PWPW
Krypten
Programme
For attendees only, password protected. Contact events@recon-intl.com if you didn’t receive your password.
Monday 5 June 2023
09:00 – 12:30- Identity Document Fraud in an Online Environment – The Challenges of Digital ID Verification
Michael van Gestel & Rizlane Chertah, Onfido (UK)
With the digital revolution of the 21st century, millennials, governments, and corporations have increasing requirements for self-service, quick and reliable document authentication remotely and at scale. The revolution is upon us and fraudstershave access to better technology, leaked data and a vast library of faces from social media.
This workshop will focus on the challenges global organisations deal with when trying to stop targeted attacks in a document not-present environment. During this interactive workshop we will share some of the latest fraud rings we have detected and the results of our research that can help you make better informed decisions regarding document authenticity in an online environment.
13:30 – 17:00 – Fighting Counterfeiting and Adulteration of Documents and Banknotes
Juan Manuel Padron Primo & Carla Guardia, Regula
This session will cover and introduction to Forensic Sciences and classification of research items related to documents and bills, along with a study of the specialty of criminalistics in documents and bills.
The seminar will share practical cases of authenticity or originality, to establish the origin of the document, resolved through its protocol and validation with forensic technology. Ink analysis (ink discrimination, blank signature abuse and relative dating), to establish alterations in the document, resolved through its protocol and validation with forensic technology and handwriting analysis, to establish the graphic origin of manuscripts, rubrics or signatures in the document, resolved through its protocol and validation with forensic technology.
18:30 Welcome Reception
Tuesday 6 June 2023
Hover on the presentation title or speaker to see if more information is available.
Session 1 – The Regional Landscape for Secure Documents
09:00
Welcome
Astrid Mitchell
Reconnaissance Intl (UK)
09:10
Welcome Address
Derek Rolle
Deputy Governor, Central Bank of the Bahamas
09:20
Promoting Public Confidence in Bahamas Banknotes
Brett Lashley
Central Bank of the Bahamas (Bahamas)
10:00
The New Brazilian ID Documents
Eduardo Lacerda
Ministry of Management and Innovation in Public Services (Brazil)
10:20 Session Q&A
10:40 Break – Refreshments
Session 2 – Regional Currency Developments
11:20
Issuance of the New Family of Banknotes and Reduction of Counterfeiting of Banknotes in Bolivia
Claudia Fabiola Soruco Carballo
Banco Central de Bolivia (Bolivia)
11:40
What’s Next – The Work Undertaken After Issuing a New Series
Roberto Gazelem Rosas González
Banco de México (Mexico )
12:20
Central Bank Digital Currency Experience – the challenges, success and the road ahead
Shaqueno Porter
Central Bank of Bahamas (Bahamas)
12:40 Session Q&A
Session 2 – Regional ID Developments
11:20
Resolved Situations, Pending Issues and New Challenges in the Issuance of Documents
Mónica Peralta
Dirección National de Migraciones (Argentina)
11:40
Passport Security, Evolution and Frauds
Narumi Pereira Lima
Brazilian Society of Forensic Sciences (Brazil)
12:00
The New Brazilian Passport
Millie Britto de Oliveira Delorme Azevedo
Casa da Moeda do Brasil (Brazil)
12:40 Session Q&A
13:00 Lunch
Session 3 – Production & Print
14:30
Implementation of Lean Manufacturing Strategies to Increase the Banknotes Printing and Processing Productivity
Alejandro Sanchez Gonzalez
Banco de México
15:10
Overhauling and Modernisation of Printing Presses – the one-stop-shop of Security Printing Experts
Virginie Lang
Seprinto & Partners (Switzerland)
15:50 Session Q&A
Session 3 – Design & Security
14:50
Securing Electronic Identity Documents in the Quantum Era
Jorge Adrián Rosas
Infineon (Germany)
15:10
Construction and use of Digital Tools that RENAPER offers to the Public and Private Sectors to Verify the Authenticity of Physical and Digital Documents using AI
Flavio Brocca
Argentine National Registry (Argentina )
15:50 Session Q&A
16:10 Close of Day One
16:30 Extended Exhibition Viewing
19:00 Gala Dinner
Wednesday 7 June 2023
Session 4 – Substrates and Features
09:00
Pulsar™ threads, a dynamic response to the threat of counterfeiting
Jérémy Boizieau
Oberthur Fiduciaire (France)
09:20
A Journey of Holographic Stripes from the Pyramids into the Reef
Jan Hofmann
Hueck Folien (Austria)
09:40
Artificial Intelligence in Hologram Design and Processing
Robert Dvorak
IQ Structures (Czech Republic)
10:00
Polymer Windows: When Light Meets Technology for Excellence in Security
Camille Cossec
SPS/Surys (France)
10:20
A Visual Journey through the Life of Nicolas Copernicus on Banknotes
Monika Kłysińska
Polish Security Printing Works (Poland)
10:40 Session Q&A
Session 4 – Substrates, Features and Secure Docs
09:00
Inspiring Confidence in Latin America
Gerben van Wijk, Gerben van Wijk
Luminescence Sun Chemical, International Tax Stamp Association (UK, UK)
09:20
Pilot Virtual Asylum ID document Netherlands
Alex van Duuren
Ministry of Justice and Safety, Netherlands (Netherlands)
09:40
Austria The Secure Document Biometric Barcode (SDBB)
Jorge Carvalho
Austrian State Printing House (OeSD)
10:00
Onboarding Solutions for ID verification and Authentication
Carla Guardia Malaga
Regula (Latvia)
10:20
Modernisation and Scope of the El Salvador Unique Identity Document
Fernando Velasco
El Salvador Unique Identity Document (El Salvador )
10:40 Session Q&A
11:00 Break – Refreshments
Session 5 – Sustainability and Environment
11:40
The Essential Components of Banknote Solutions: Sustainability, Durability, and Security
Holger Funk
Papierfabrik Louisenthal (Germany)
12:00
Sustainability in the Destruction Process of Banknotes
Pascal Rebeaud
Hunkeler Systeme AG (Switzerland)
12:20
Circular Life Cycle for Cotton From Banknotes Back into Paper
Alexandre Ambrozio Gilberti
Blend Paper Security (Brazil)
13:00 Session Q&A
Session 5 – Verification / Fraud / Examination
12:00
Fraud Trends Observed Along the Southwest Border in El Paso, Texas
Hillary Hoover
HSI Forensic Laboratory (USA)
12:20
How Document Security is Falsified and Violated
Francisco Elias Bartolo Sanchez
Protection of Documents and Forensic Sciences (CSIPD&CF) (Mexico)
12:40
Methods of Adulteration and Counterfeiting of Public Documents
Prof José Manuel A. Duarte Ulloa
LABOCAR Criminalistic Laboratory of Chile
13:00 Session Q&A
13:20 Lunch
Session 6 – Technology & Innovation
15:10
Third Number Plate is Now a Reality in Chile
Ricardo Mendez Barrera
Casa de Moneda de Chile (Chile)
16:10 Session Q&A
16:30 Closing remarks and drinks
18:00 HSP Beach Volleyball
Judicial Authority, Costa Rica
Treasury Department, Paraguay
Hueck Folien
Awards
See our dedicated Awards page for the Regional Banknote and the Regional ID Document of the Year
Onfido
Directorate General of Internal Taxes – Dominican Republic
Inacal
Sponsors
Thank you to our 2023 Sponsors and Exhibitors
Many thanks to the following sponsors and exhibitors for taking part in our wonderful exhibition running alongside the conference:
Platinum – Landqart
Diamond – Canadian Bank Note Company, IDEMIA
Gold – CCL Secure, De La Rue, Formas Inteligentes, GET Group, Oberthur Fiduciaire, Polish Security Printing Works (PWPW), Security Fibres Ltd, THALES
Silver – Baldwin, Giesecke+Devrient, Gleitsmann Security Inks, Hueck Folien, Jura/Parvis, Luminescence Sun Chemical Security, Mühlbauer, Veridos, WTG Water Treatment GmbH
Exhibitors – ELYCTIS Sas, Evolis, HID Global, IN Groupe – Surys, Infineon, IQS Structures, Luminochem, MaskTech, PETREL, Regula, SELP, SEPRINTO, SPM – Security Paper Mill, Stardust Secrued, UAE Federal Authority