[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 288 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  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 
        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;
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
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
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) undercover law enforcement investigations, including 
        under appropriate circumstances sting operations, are necessary 
        to counter increasingly sophisticated money laundering schemes 
        that involve financial institutions in this country and other 
        countries, including Mexico; and
            (2) the United States should not agree to extradite to 
        Mexico United States law enforcement agents involved in 
        Operation Casablanca for actions taken within the scope of 
        Operation Casablanca.

            Passed the House of Representatives June 22, 1998.

            Attest:

                                                ROBIN H. CARLE,

                                                                 Clerk.