Heard It Before

The US is making noise about attacking money-laundering in Mexico:

The Justice Department is refashioning its unit that prosecutes financial institutions for money laundering and claws back the proceeds of crime, to stanch the flow of money to violent Mexican drug cartels and impound the assets of kleptocrats around the world.

The Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, part of the department's Criminal Division, has quietly begun hiring a total of 10 prosecutors and lawyers for two groups that will focus on such efforts.

The hiring spree marks an escalation in the department's anti-corruption mission, including U.S. obligations under international pacts, such as the United Nations convention against corruption. The convention requires member states to adopt stringent anti-corruption laws and policies, including tracing and seizing proceeds of crimes committed abroad.

The moves also represent a strategic shift in the department's role in the Mexican drug war, which has claimed more than 22,000 lives since 2006. Law enforcement officials have acknowledged that more resources are needed to target U.S. financial institutions and professional criminals moving drug cartels' money.

"A top priority is the Mexican cartels," said Jennifer Shasky, chief of the section. "We're going after their money aggressively."

I think I got this from Boz's website, but if it was from somewhere else and I am not giving credit where due, apologies. Assuming that this is a sincere venture, one problem with this would seem to be the lack of interest on attacking dirty money by the Mexican government.