Mexico
Mexico is a major drug-producing and drug-transit country. Proceeds from the illicit drug trade leaving the United States are the principal source of funds laundered through the Mexican financial system. Other significant sources of laundered proceeds include corruption, kidnapping, and trafficking in firearms and persons. Sophisticated and well-organized drug trafficking organizations based in Mexico take advantage of the extensive U.S.-Mexico border, the large flow of legitimate remittances, and the high volume of legal commerce to conceal transfers to Mexico. The smuggling of bulk shipments of U.S. currency into Mexico and the repatriation of the funds into the United States via couriers, armored vehicles, and wire transfers remain favored methods for laundering drug proceeds. The combination of a sophisticated financial sector and a large cash-based informal sector complicates the problem. According to U.S. authorities, drug trafficking organizations send between $19 and $39 billion annually to Mexico from the United States, although the Government of Mexico (GOM) disputes this figure. Mexico has seized over $500 million in bulk currency shipments since 2002.
For additional information focusing on terrorism financing, please refer to the Department of State’s Country Reports on Terrorism, which can be found here: http://www.state.gov/j/ct/rls/crt/
Do Financial Institutions engage in currency transactions related to international narcotics trafficking that include significant amounts of US currency; currency derived from illegal sales in the U.S.; or that otherwise significantly affect the U.S.: YES
Criminalization of Money Laundering:
“All serious crimes” approach or “list” approach to predicate crimes: All crimes
Legal persons covered: criminally: NO civilly: YES
Know-your-customer (KYC) rules:
Enhanced due diligence procedures for PEPs: Foreign: YES Domestic: YES
KYC covered entities: Banks, mutual savings companies, insurance companies, securities brokers, retirement and investment funds, financial leasing and factoring funds, casas de cambio, centros cambiarios (unlicensed foreign exchange centers), savings and loans institutions, money remitters, SOFOMES (multiple purpose corporate entity), SOFOLES (limited purpose corporate entity), and general deposit warehouses
Suspicious Transaction Reporting (STR) Requirements:
Number of STRs received and time frame: 36,040 - January through September 2011
Number of CTRs received and time frame: 4.1 million - January through September 2011
STR covered entities: Banks, mutual savings companies, insurance companies, securities brokers, retirement and investment funds, financial leasing and factoring funds, casas de cambio, centros cambiarios (unlicensed foreign exchange centers), savings and loans institutions, money remitters, SOFOMES (multiple purpose corporate entity), SOFOLES (limited purpose corporate entity), and general deposit warehouses
Money Laundering Criminal Prosecutions/Convictions:
Prosecutions: 54 from January to October 2011
Convictions: 13 from January to July 2011
Records exchange mechanism:
With U.S.: MLAT: YES Other mechanism: YES
With other governments/jurisdictions: YES
Mexico is a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering in South America (GAFISUD), a FATF-style regional body. Its most recent mutual evaluation can be found here: http://www.fatf-gafi.org/document/20/0,3343,en_32250379_32236963_41911956_1_1_1_1,00.html
Enforcement and implementation issues and comments:
The GOM has taken some important steps to reduce the use of cash in the economy and prevent the laundering of illicit drugs proceeds in U.S. dollars (USD); however, the package of bills submitted in August 2010 to further enhance anti-money laundering regulations remains in limbo in the Mexican Congress. In June 2010, the Finance Ministry implemented regulations imposing limits on USD transactions in Mexico. The caps, which later were eased for border areas, are applicable to cash transactions from dollars to pesos, including deposits, credit payments, and service fees. In addition to limiting transaction amounts for individuals, all USD transactions are prohibited by the regulation for corporate entities and trusts (including account and non-account holding entities), except for those which are accountholders located in border or tourist areas, for which transactions are limited. The impact of the restrictions has been dramatic, with USD cash repatriation to the U.S. from the Mexican formal financial sector dropping by 50%, or $7 billion. The new destination for the USD cash no longer entering the Mexican financial system remains an open question. Recent data does not support the hypothesis that the flows would be redirected to Central America and/or the Caribbean. U.S. and Mexican authorities have agreed to continue studying the flow of U.S. currency.
In 2010, the GOM announced the National Strategy for the Prevention and Elimination of Money Laundering and Financing for Terrorism. On April 14, 2011, the Federal Executive sent to Congress a Bill of Decree by which the Federal Criminal Code and the Federal Criminal Procedures Code are to be amended. The bill includes a modification to the Federal Criminal Code in order to expressly establish that a legal person is liable for any money laundering/terrorist financing crimes, among others, committed by any of its legal representatives acting on its behalf. The bill is currently under review by the Senate. The government also submitted a federal law for the Prevention and Identification of Transactions with Criminal Proceeds, which was approved by the Senate on April 28, 2011, and is currently under review by the Congress. The bill includes, among other important aspects, restrictions on the use of cash in certain transactions (i.e., real estate, jewelry, precious stones and metals, games and lotteries, accounting and legal services).
On August 3, 2011, amendments were issued to the General Law of Auxiliary Credit Organizations and Activities to establish the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV) as the supervisory authority for AML/CFT with regard to centros cambiarios, money remitters and non-regulated SOFOMES. This authority will be transferred from the Tax Administration System (SAT) to CNBV. The change was made in recognition that the broad experience of CNBV on AML/CFT issues and its risk-based approach to supervision will allow for better oversight of these entities. The amendment provides for a transition period of 240 days. The existing centros cambiarios and money remitters that registered prior to August 4, 2011, or that requested their registration prior to November 1, 2011, may continue with their operations if SAT approves their registration. If the registration is denied, they must suspend their operations. Any new centros cambiarios or money remitters which did not request registration prior to November 1, 2011 are prohibited from initiating operations until receipt of confirmation of registration by SAT. After March 30, 2012, all requests for registration shall be reviewed by CNBV. The general rule establishes that centros cambiaros may only provide the services of buying, selling or exchanging currency, within certain company formation restrictions and with prior authorization from the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit. An exception to the need for prior authorization is established for centros cambiarios that provide the aforementioned services and do not exceed the threshold of $10,000 per client per day.
In 2011, the GOM also issued a number of AML/CFT regulations covering financial entities; specifically: General Provisions applicable to Auxiliary Credit Organizations (issued on 5/31/11); General Provisions applicable to SOFOLES (issued on 3/17/11); and General Provisions applicable to SOFOMES (issued on 3/17/11). These regulations strengthen reporting requirements and expand the range of entities covered under AML/CFT provisions. The regulations represent concrete steps forward, though until the final passage by the Senate of the 2010 package of anti-money laundering bills Mexico’s regulatory framework will remain incomplete.
Mexico should amend its terrorist financing legislation to fully comport with the UN Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism; and enact legislation and procedures to freeze without delay terrorist assets of those designated by the UN 1267 Sanctions Committee.
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