US Undercover Agents Launder and Smuggle Money For Mexican Cartels

Undercover US anti drug agents, mostly US DEA have smuggled and laundered millions of dollars for Mexican drug cartels, in an effort to find out how they move their money, root out their leaders, and find out where they keep their assets, reports the New York Times Sunday paper. DEA officials declined to discuss the details of the operations, citing concerns of compromising their investigations. Critics claim these operations violate the law, and are turning these agencies into criminals themselves.

“My rule was that if we are going to launder money, we better show results. Otherwise, the D.E.A. could wind up being the largest money launderer in the business, and that money results in violence and deaths.”

Since 2006, when the government of Mexico decided to launch military action against these cartels, some 45,000 people have been killed. The cartels have terrorized border towns as they battle over lucrative smuggling routes.

US agents have deposited proceeds in accounts designated by drug traffickers, or into shell accounts set up by agents. As undercover agents launder drug money, the agency often allows cartels to continue their operations over months or even years before making seizures or arrests,  said the New York Times Sunday paper.

Michael Vigil, a former senior official, working for a private contracting company named Mission Essential Personnel, was quoted by the paper saying: "We tried to make sure there was always close supervision of these operations so that we were accomplishing our objectives, and agents weren’t laundering money for the sake of laundering money."

New Rochelle Man Arrested for Prescription Steroids

Nicholas Gary, a New Rochelle man was arrested for possession of prescription drugs, and prescription steroids. He was pulled over on November 25 when Harrison Police found he was driving a vehicle that belonged to a driver with a suspended license. Police reports say that after searching the car, there were several prescription drugs found.

Gary was placed under arrest for driving on a suspended license, a misdemeanor, and also for criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 7th degree. In the car police seized a vial of testosterone, a spray bottle of a substance labeled "testosterone homeopathic organotherapy", a plastic bag containing sample boxes of zyprexa and unopened syringes. Gary told Harrison Police a doctor at St. Vincent's Hospital gave him free samples of drugs to treat his bipolar disorder, as he did not have medical insurance. It is unclear weather this was looked into by Harrison Police.

Police withheld the Zyprexa, and the syringes and released Gary on $200.00 bail. Ordered to return to court on November 29.

We will update our readers with new information as it comes in. ~ NML