Smoky Mountain Journal -Dozens Of U.S. Citizens Charged In Multi-Million Dollar Drug Bust For Scheme To Launder Money For Mexican Drug Cartels




The Great Smoky Mountain Journal Source: Tuesday, January 01, 2019 02:40 PM

Dozens Of U.S. Citizens Charged In Multi-Million Dollar Drug Bust For Scheme To Launder Money For Mexican Drug Cartels
Dozens of people across the U.S. have been charged in connection with an international conspiracy to launder tens of millions of dollars in drug money for Mexican cartels, federal prosecutors said Thursday. The U.S. Attorney's Office in San Diego unsealed 40 indictments against defendants accused in the scheme dating to 2015. Investigators seized more than $6 million in cash as well as weapons and large quantities of drugs, including methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana, officials said. Mexican-based brokers oversaw a network of "money movers" who transported drug proceeds throughout the U.S. in boxes and duffel bags and deposited the cash into so-called funnel bank accounts, according to prosecutors. From there the funds were wired to accounts for false companies in Mexico controlled by drug suppliers, including members of the Sinaloa cartel, they said.