Mexican Court Dismisses Money Laundering Cases Due to U.S. Violations

On February 12, 2003, the Mexican Fourth Tribunal in Criminal Matters (Cuarto Tribunal Colegiado en Material Penal) dismissed the criminal charges against four Mexican ex bank executives, who had been detained in Reclusorio Sur Prison, after the court determined U.S. customs officials improperly entrapped them and hence they did not launder funds of illegal origin at the moment such funds were under the control of the U.S. Department of Treasury. From November 1996 to May 1998, U.S. law enforcement officials conducted undercover operations and laundered $67 million through Mexican banks. The Mexican Government, despite various cooperative enforcement arrangements with the U.S., did not learn of the operation until it became public... [more]