Thread: National Bulk Cash Smuggling Center wages war on criminals'

I.C.E. News Release

October 20, 2011
Williston, VT

National Bulk Cash Smuggling Center wages war on criminals' assets

Criminal enterprises utilize all available means to move illegal assets. Often times, they resort to bulk cash smuggling to stay under the radar of regulatory and law enforcement agencies.

In August 2009, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) established the National Bulk Cash Smuggling Center (BCSC) in Williston, Vt. The BCSC operates around the clock to help ICE agents and their law enforcement partners identify, investigate and disrupt criminal organizations profiting from financial crime. Since its inception, ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents have arrested 808 individuals and seized nearly $320 million while conducting bulk cash smuggling investigations.

The center's success hinges on its ability to collect and share vital information with local and state law enforcement agencies, as well as international partners. The BCSC also provides training for its law enforcement partners so they have the latest intelligence gathering techniques.

Bulk cash smugglers use all transportation vehicles available, including passenger vehicles, private and commercial airplanes, trains, boats and commercial trucks.

"Transnational criminal organizations will go to great lengths to disguise the location of where they hide their illicit bulk cash during the transportation process. Their only limitation is that of the imagination," said Joseph Burke, BCSC unit chief.

ICE has also encountered criminals trying to move cash proceeds through legitimate businesses and financial institutions. Criminals reinvest those proceeds to facilitate additional illegal operations.

"Criminal enterprise is an adaptive organism and — like all living systems — will alter its operational behavior in response to constraints leveraged against it," said Burke.

It is essential that ICE stay ahead of the curve. Criminal enterprises that smuggle large amounts of cash are often the same ones that engage in violent crimes, fund terrorist or extremist groups, traffic humans and commit commercial fraud.

"That's why the BCSC has waged a relentless campaign to identify and attack vulnerabilities in the bulk cash smuggling business model," said Burke.

If you have information that an individual, business or organization is engaged in the illicit transportation or smuggling of currency, please complete the BCSC form or call the ICE HSI Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.

Learn more about the BCSC. http://www.ice.gov/bulk-cash-smuggling-center/

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE is a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423 or complete our tip form.
U.S. Dept of Homeland Security USA.gov

http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1110/1 ... liston.htm

I.C.E. News Release

October 20, 2011
St. Louis, MO

St. Louis industrial supply company pleads guilty to employing illegal aliens

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — A local industrial supply company pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to employing illegal aliens. The guilty plea resulted from an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Charles County Sheriff's Department.

J & J Industrial Supply Inc. pleaded guilty Oct. 18 before U.S. District Judge E. Richard Webber to knowingly and intentionally hiring more than 10 illegal aliens in a 12-month period. As part of the plea, the company agrees to forfeit $150,000 and a 2011 Toyota Highlander used to facilitate the illegal activity.

According to court documents, J & J Industrial Supply Inc., doing business as Industrial Wiping Cloths & Supplies, is a St. Louis business that resells used clothing in bulk quantities to overseas purchasers and produces cleaning rags for domestic customers. It is a labor intensive business that primarily involves hand sorting and cutting used clothing. The business retains about 40 employees and is owned by Jerry McArthur.

Since 2008, J & J Industrial Supply Inc. hired illegal aliens, who are not authorized to work in the United States, to supplement its legal workforce. During a 12-month period, the company employed 10 or more illegal aliens. By employing these illegal aliens the company realized proceeds of about $150,000 during the time of the offense.

On Sept. 27, Jerry McArthur drove five of his illegal alien employees in his 2011 Toyota Highlander to the Mexican Consulate in Kansas City to obtain Mexican Consular identification cards. This was done so that the employees would have some type of identification documents in case they came in contact with law enforcement officers. The vehicle was stopped for speeding in St. Charles County on its return journey and was seized because it facilitated the illegal employment.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware, Eastern District of Missouri, is prosecuting the case. Sentencing has been set for Jan. 17.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE is a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423 or complete our tip form.

U.S. Dept of Homeland Security USA.gov

http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1110/111020stlouis.htm