[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21943]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                 ARUBA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SPENCER BACHUS

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 6, 2004

  Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, year after year thousands upon thousands of 
Americans die of illicit drugs. Year after year billions upon billions 
of dollars end up in the hands of the cartel bosses who traffic these 
deadly goods. The flow of drugs will only stop if the flow of money can 
be contained. It can only be contained if our allies all over the world 
work together with us to rid the world of that terrible scourge. I rise 
today to pay tribute to one of those important allies, the Caribbean 
nation of Aruba. This small island state is leading the way in efforts 
to counter drug trafficking and drug-related money laundering.
  In the past, money laundering organizations have attempted to use 
Aruba's offshore banking and incorporation systems, free-zone areas, 
and resort/casino complexes to transfer and to launder drug proceeds. 
However, the timely implementation and rigorous enforcement of anti 
money-laundering and asset-seizure laws have set an example for others 
to follow.
  Prime Minister Nelson Oduber and the Government of Aruba should be 
commended for recently issuing several decrees on money laundering that 
include increased oversight of casinos and insurance companies. The 
Government of Aruba also is in the process of instituting reporting 
requirements for cross-border currency movements in excess of 20,000 
Aruban florins, approximately US$11,200. Aruba has a Financial 
Intelligence Unit and is a member of the Egmont Group, an international 
group of financial intelligence units.
  The Aruba Organized Crime Unit and the Criminal Intelligence Unit of 
the Coast Guard of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba fight drug 
trafficking right alongside the United States Drug Enforcement Agency. 
Furthermore, Aruba serves as one of two forward operating locations in 
the Caribbean for U.S. counterdrug aircraft. The forward operating 
location, located at Queen Beatrix Airport near Oranjestad, provides a 
landing and servicing area for counterdrug detection and monitoring 
missions in the region.
  For this cooperation, I would like to express the heartfelt thanks of 
the American people. With allies like Aruba on our side, we can win 
this war, too.

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