Posted on 10/11/2014 8:40:40 AM PDT by stevie_d_64
CHULA VISTA, Calif. (AP) — For a company that booked $12 million in annual sales importing snacks like chile- and lime-flavored chips from Mexico, Baja Distributors Inc.'s offices were oddly quiet. There were no signs outside. Its small warehouse was almost empty. Phones went unanswered.
Investigators say there was a reason for the anonymity: The business was laundering money from Mexican drug traffickers. Baja Distributors, whose executives denied laundering drug money, brought more than $17 million from Mexico in 18 months.
U.S. front companies for cartels aren't new, but U.S. officials say they took a more prominent role after Mexico capped dollar deposits in cash at $7,000 a month for businesses in 2010, later raised to $14,000. As a result, they say, cartels sought companies to deposit money in American banks and wire it back in pesos under the guise of international trade.
San Diego, the largest American city on Mexico's border, became a magnet for cash coming to the country from Mexico, according to an Associated Press analysis of customs declarations since 2009.
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto lifted the restrictions last month, saying the anti-money laundering measure harmed honest businesses. The move sparked concern among some U.S. officials that cartels may go back to walking into Mexican banks to deposit sacks of drug-tainted dollars.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
The U.S. Government then gives it to the illegal alien invaders who then send it back to Mexico. It’s the “circle of life”.
LOL, I was just trying to remember the name of the restaurant and post a photo when I found your retort.
I thought it was El Pollo Loco???
I knew a girl that worked at one of those places, she looked a lot like Roslyn Sanchez, but she had a droopy eye...
Total turn off...;-)
You know I was looking at Google maps the other day at the street level in Mexico and what I found surprising is that there are brand new cars all over the place in the streets. I wonder how many of those were bought through welfare fraud in the US. If Mexico is so incredibly poor that tens of millions of illegals have to sneak in then why do so many parts of Mexico look exactly like the US with expensive looking houses and cars, people walking around in brand new clothes? I get the stinking suspicion that we got a epic scam going on here. That they ain’t looking for “work” at all but looking to cash in on US taxpayer loot.
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto lifted the restrictions last month, saying the anti-money laundering measure harmed honest businesses. The move sparked concern among some U.S. officials that cartels may go back to walking into Mexican banks to deposit sacks of drug-tainted dollars.
"If one day you have a restriction and the next day that restriction no longer exists, one would think logically that it now becomes easier," said Joseph Burke, head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's National Bulk Cash Smuggling Center.
Pena Nieto's move came two days after U.S. agents raided businesses in downtown Los Angeles' fashion district that were suspected of funneling drug money to Mexico and seized $70 million in cash.
What a coincidence!
Or stolen. In 84 I crossed into Mexico, and there were at lease a 100 paint and body shops leading up to the border crossing (chop shops)...it looked like get em there, and the rest was easy in to Mexico.
As the hacks in D.C. call it just doing business.
look to Chicago for drug money......
“Or stolen.”
At one point in the early 90’s, both the mayor and police chief of Tijuana were driving Avis Caddy’s stolen out of Las Vegas.
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