D.E.A. Launders Mexican Profits of Drug Cartels

[Gerald]

A crime scene in Monterrey, Mexico, last week. Drug-related violence has claimed the lives of more than 40,000 people since late 2006, Mexican officials say.

WASHINGTON Undercover American narcotics agents have laundered or smuggled millions of dollars in drug proceeds as part of Washingtons expanding role in Mexicos fight against drug cartels, according to current and former federal law enforcement officials. The agents, primarily with the Drug Enforcement Administration, have handled shipments of hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal cash across borders, those officials said, to identify how criminal organizations move their money, where they keep their assets and, most important, who their leaders are.They said agents had deposited the drug proceeds in accounts designated by traffickers, or in shell accounts set up by agents.The officials said that while the D.E.A. conducted such operations in other countries, it began doing so in Mexico only in the past few years. The high-risk activities raise delicate questions about the agencys effectiveness in bringing down drug kingpins, underscore diplomatic concerns about Mexican sovereignty, and blur the line between surveillance and facilitating crime. As it launders drug money, the agency often allows cartels to continue their operations over months or even years before making seizures or arrests.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/wo...ls.html?ref=us

Note: December 3, 2011

[1480]

We've been arming the cartels too, whats a little cash laundering amongst amigos.......

[Gerald]

Is more than "little cash" this.

[the_tyrant]

Helping the american youth obtain cheap and good drugs!

[Gerald]

Closing as this is welcomed.

[Osmium Steele]

You work hard to place an agent inside the cartel, in a position to learn about their financials; then, when the agent is told to do their magic with a duffel-bag full of cash, they should refuse?

This is the nature of undercover work. Getting one's hands dirty for the greater good.

Now, if this is anything like the CIA's Air America, that is a horse of a different color.

[August]

Originally Posted by Osmium Steele

You work hard to place an agent inside the cartel, in a position to learn about their financials; then, when the agent is told to do their magic with a duffel-bag full of cash, they should refuse?

This is the nature of undercover work. Getting one's hands dirty for the greater good.

Now, if this is anything like the CIA's Air America, that is a horse of a different color.

The problem is there are many shades of "horses". They allow their agents to get a bit dirty and before you know it they are arming criminals who end up using those weapons to kill our border patrol agents, as in the case of the cartels or tipping off mobsters like the FBI was doing for Whitey Bulger and co up here in Boston so they could eliminate the competition.

Best to stay on the right side of the law even if it makes intelligence gathering more difficult sez I.

[Osmium Steele]

Originally Posted by August

They allow their agents to get a bit dirty and before you know it they are arming criminals who end up using those weapons to kill our border patrol agents,...

Oh baloney.

Inserting an agent into the money laundering chain, and gun walking are two VERY different things, and one does not lead to the other.

Though the point is not lost that agents, and agencies, sometimes go too far, even in the name of the common good.

[Gerald]

Work such as this, as described in the article, requires knowledge far beyond a normal "police work" even if you have worked with intel.

[August]

Originally Posted by Osmium Steele

Oh baloney.

Inserting an agent into the money laundering chain, and gun walking are two VERY different things, and one does not lead to the other.

Though the point is not lost that agents, and agencies, sometimes go too far, even in the name of the common good.

I believe one does lead to the other as well as lead to helping mobsters with tips and information that let them avoid prosecution and eliminate their competition (see the FBI's involvement with Whitey Bulger for example.)

They are all part of the same slippery slope. You let our law enforcement break some laws and you set the precedent for them to break more. Personally I don't want my police making such judgement calls.

[1480]

Originally Posted by Osmium Steele

Oh baloney.

Inserting an agent into the money laundering chain, and gun walking are two VERY different things, and one does not lead to the other.

Though the point is not lost that agents, and agencies, sometimes go too far, even in the name of the common good.

The question you must ask yourself is why are we conducting a criminal investigation inside of a foreign country.

If we secured our borders, locked them down and concentrated on interdiction and let the Mexican government clean their own house. Things might be a bit different.

No one has ever been serious about "the war on drugs". Too much money involved.

[soopaman2]

Ending the war on drugs would go a long way.

Capone would have never existed without prohibition.

If people want to OD on coca and heroin, then let Darwins theory play its course.
And legalize pot, alcohol kills more in a year than pot does in 50 years.

The millions America spends a year on incarcerating potheads can go towards feeding our starving, or maybe into SS so congress can stop talking about starving the elderly.

No I am not a hippie pothead, so no discounting me there. Sorry hardliners.
I would be though, if my job didn't piss me.

[1480]

Originally Posted by soopaman2

Ending the war on drugs would go a long way.

Capone would have never existed without prohibition.

If people want to OD on coca and heroin, then let Darwins theory play its course.
And legalize pot, alcohol kills more in a year than pot does in 50 years.

The millions America spends a year on incarcerating potheads can go towards feeding our starving, or maybe into SS so congress can stop talking about starving the elderly.

No I am not a hippie pothead, so no discounting me there. Sorry hardliners.
I would be though, if my job didn't piss me.

Thats what retirement is for....have faith

[Gerald]

People who have worked on prevention of organized crime, and promotes an active part in our society, can possibly understand or realize the difficulties of working in these kinds of circumstances.

[1480]

Originally Posted by Vendor

People who have worked on prevention of organized crime, and promotes an active part in our society, can possibly understand or realize the difficulties of working in these kinds of circumstances.

Now a days, undercover or long term investigations do not involve infiltration of LEO's into the organization so much. Entrapment, getting too deep etc,. Easier to impeach as a witness. Flipping someone who is already into the group and has been caught dirty is the preferred way to go. Wiretaps and intercepted communications are impossible to impeach in court.