Following Mexico's drug money trail

[Bullfighter]

Carlsen's organisation and dozens of other rights groups recently signed a letter calling for an overhaul of the US-backed drug war.

"The Merida Initiative supports a reckless strategy that has led to massive bloodshed in Mexico and failed to achieve goals to reduce illicit drug flows, assure public safety or significantly weaken cartels," the letter stated.

Instead of greater militarisation, rights groups want better treatment for drug addicts, a weakening of demand in the US and more resources devoted to following the money trail - where massive drug profits are invested in US and offshore businesses and bank accounts.

Wachovia (now owned by Wells Fargo) and Bank of America, two of the largest banks in the US, admitted that they had not done enough to spot drug money when handling $378.4bn for Mexican currency exchange shops between 2004 and 2007.

In March, the US justice department charged Wachovia with violating the Bank Secrecy Act, legislation which prohibits money laundering, and the bank's new owner paid $160mn in fines and penalties, Bloomberg News reported.

Drug cartels also used shell companies to open accounts at HSBC Holdings Plc, Europe's biggest bank by assets, according to an investigation by Mexico's finance ministry.

"In order to weaken organised crime, it is far safer and more effective in the long run to erode its financial base," Carlsen said. "Rather than sending military equipment and private security contractors like Blackwater [now Xe Services] which have terrible human rights records, they [the US] should fund drug prevention and rehabilitation. These programmes have not seen an increase in funding despite added concern."

Deare, who supports greater US military "cooperation" with Mexico, agrees with some of the recommendations made by rights groups. "If Mexico is looking for a long term solution, I would be willing to bet that there will be demand for drugs in the US over the next 20 years," he said.

Vincente Fox, Mexico's former president, recently added his voice to the list of leaders calling for the decriminalisation or legalisation of drugs.

And even if the battle is "won" via military means in Mexico, there is concern that the global war against drugs would simply move to a new battlefield, for as Deare explained: "If Mexico is successful, it would no longer be Mexico's problem, it would be someone else's problem."

Read more:
Following Mexico's drug money trail - In Depth - Al Jazeera English

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But ex President Vincente Fox worked with the drug cartels while in office so who can believe anything he says.

The US must take military action into Mexico and force them to become multi-cultural. Mexico must be opened to immigration from the eastern hemisphere in order to remove the stench of corruption from centuries of being run by a backward people.

 

[topspin]

thc is thc, and if conservatards rather have trillions of dollars of commerce go untaxed and offshored like other manufacturing jobs so be it.
Poppy Chron vs Stand up and get Crunk Chron!!

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[Bullfighter]

thc is thc, and if conservatards rather have trillions of dollars of commerce go untaxed and offshored like other manufacturing jobs so be it.
Poppy Chron vs Stand up and get Crunk Chron!!

Buy American

Save the World: Bomb Mexico!