III

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 288

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JUNE 23, 1998

Received and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the United States

should support the efforts of Federal law enforcement

agents engaged in investigation and prosecution of money

laundering associated with Mexican financial institutions.

Whereas Mexico is an important ally of the United States

and these countries’ economies, cultures, and security interests are permanently intertwined;

Whereas illegal drugs continue to destroy our cities and kill

our children, the illegal international narcotics trade

poses a direct and pernicious threat to the vital national
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HCON 288 RFS

interests of the United States, and combating this threat

is one of our Nation’s highest priorities;

Whereas Mexico is one of the major source countries for narcotic drugs and other controlled substances entering the

United States;

Whereas criminal organizations engage in money laundering

to reap the financial benefits of the illegal narcotics trade

and combating money laundering is a necessary and integral part of a national strategy to combat the narcotics

trade;

Whereas Mexico is currently unable to limit meaningfully the

laundering of drug proceeds in its financial institutions,

as noted in the Department of State’s 1997 International

Narcotics Control Strategy Report, which indicates that

Mexico ‘‘continues to be the money laundering haven of

choice for the transportation of United States cash drug

proceeds’’;

Whereas, despite the commitment of President Zedillo to

combat drug trafficking and money laundering, the Government of Mexico ‘‘acknowledges that narcotics-related

corruption is pervasive and entrenched within the criminal justice system and that it has spread beyond that sector’’, as demonstrated by the February 1997 arrest of the

chief of Mexico’s National Counternarcotics Institute on

charges of accepting bribes from, and complicity with, the

drug cartels, shortly after receiving confidential briefings

from United States law enforcement agencies;

Whereas progressively more violent, organized, and widespread illegal drug operations constitute a threat not only

to the health and well-being of the Mexican people but

also to the integrity of the Mexican Government and its

law enforcement agencies;
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Whereas the vast majority of people and public servants in

Mexico support ridding their country of this dark and

sinister threat;

Whereas the United States Customs Service, in conjunction

with other United States law enforcement agencies, recently concluded ‘‘Operation Casablanca’’, the largest undercover money laundering investigation in the history of

the United States, in which over 100 persons were arrested and three Mexican financial institutions were indicted;

Whereas Operation Casablanca is in the interest of the people

of the United States, as it strikes a direct blow against

the laundering of the proceeds of illegal drug sales in

Mexican financial institutions and is necessary for an effective effort against money laundering in the United

States;

Whereas United States law enforcement agents participating

in Operation Casablanca placed themselves in peril of severe injury or death in order to combat the illegal narcotics trade;

Whereas recently the Government of Mexico has reportedly

announced a desire to investigate and possibly prosecute

United States law enforcement officials involved in Operation Casablanca on the ground that United States law

enforcement agents allegedly operated on Mexican soil

without prior notification of the Government of Mexico;

Whereas the Government of Mexico had been notified of the

broad concept but not details of a money laundering investigation; whereas notification of details could have

jeopardized the safety of United States law enforcement

officials; and
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Whereas notification to foreign governments of the specifics

of undercover money laundering investigations conducted

by the United States could, under certain circumstances,

render ineffective such investigations, which would be

contrary to the interests of the United States: Now,

therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—

3 (1) undercover law enforcement investigations,

4 including under appropriate circumstances sting op5 erations, are necessary to counter increasingly so6 phisticated money laundering schemes that involve

7 financial institutions in this country and other coun8 tries, including Mexico; and

9 (2) the United States should not agree to extra10 dite to Mexico United States law enforcement agents

11 involved in Operation Casablanca for actions taken

12 within the scope of Operation Casablanca.

Passed the House of Representatives June 22, 1998.

Attest: ROBIN H. CARLE,

Clerk.