DEA Launders Money For Mexican Drug Cartels

Undercover US agents have laundered and smuggled millions of dollars in drug money for Mexican drug cartels in an efforts to learn how these criminal organizations move their money, where they keep their assets and root out their leaders, the New York Times reports.

While DEA officials declined to discuss the details of the operation, citing concerns about compromising their investigations, critics say these efforts violate the law and are turning undercover agents into crime facilitators.

“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.”