PARTIAL TRANSLATION FROM:
http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2008/03/01/i ... e=012n1pol


According to a report from the U.S. government,in the last five years, the Mexican drug cartels have achieved "to repatriate" to Mexico 22 Billion dollars, by means of transactions in the financial system and by conduit of the companies that the migrants use for their remittances.

The 2008 report of the International Narcotics Control Strategy, of the American State Department, notifies that Mexico is one of the jurisdictions that more challenges represent for the authorities of the neighboring northern country (U.S.) regarding money laundering, since by Mexico's northern border they pass dollar cargos from the sale of drugs in the United States.

It stands out that, besides utilizing sophisticated traditional financial system, of banks and exchange stores, the drug-traffickers have responded to a new tactic: to use the companies specialized in remittances, to launder money.

Matricula Consular

It is easier to disguise the illicit origin of money shipments, as if were remittances, since migrants should only present their matricula consular as identification, to summarize the shipment of dollars to their relatives in Mexico, without the need to open a bank account.

"This makes lawful remittances more accessible, but also leaves open the potential for money laundering of groups of organized crime."

According to the report, it is estimated that from 2003 to this date, the bosses of drug trafficking managed to introduce to Mexico 22 billion dollars, product of the sale of drugs in the United States.