“ The $600 bank account thing is a blanket way to snoop in on everyone without having to target industries one by one.”
When I lived in Japan a score of years ago, I knew quite a few illegal aliens. I was introduced to the underground banking system they used to avoid having to use the government-monitored commercial system. Some guy, usually in a legitimate export/import company, would hold cash, make loans, make bill payments, and transfer money in and out of Japan - all for a fee, of course. Japan at that time was a cash society, so that made such deals less suspicious, but I imagine they’re still around.
Given the number of illegals and foreign gangs here, there must be the same thing going on here.
Happened to catch a couple episodes of Sopranos this weekend they had a marathon. One of the episodes Tony Soprano brings a bag of cash to a Russian guy who then moved money from an overseas account to another overseas account controlled by Tony.
In the Arab world they have what they call a Hawala network. You bring money to a person here. He calls his friend there and that guy gives money to whomever its supposed to go to. Money gets where it’s supposed to go without ever being moved though I suppose at some time or way the books have to get settled. Of course cash can be smuggled to avoid the $10,000 reporting but when a well dressed woman flies first class with a $500,000 diamond engagement ring she doesn’t have to declare it.