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Garza: “One of the great success stories of the U.S.-Mexican bilateral relationship has been the increasingly strong cooperation between our law enforcement agencies. That cooperation has helped us to combat crime, not just in the border region, but throughout our two countries.”
Mexico City, June 1, 2006 – At a ceremony held at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, Ambassador Antonio O. Garza, Jr. applauded the joint efforts of Mexican and U.S. law enforcement officials to fight crime in both the United States and Mexico. “It is only by sharing information and resources, and coordinating our efforts, that the U.S. and Mexican governments can curb the tide of violence and crime that is wreaking havoc in our communities,” said Ambassador Garza.
The ceremony honored over 90 law enforcement officials for their work in detecting currency smugglers and money launderers. “By investigating and preventing these forms of commercial fraud and smuggling, U.S. and Mexican law enforcement officers are hitting criminals where it hurts the most—the money they earn by harming others,” said Garza. “This will have a deterrent effect on criminal activity and make it harder for criminals to operate and benefit from their illicit activities.”
“Mexican law enforcement authorities, working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), have conducted training exercises in Mexico since July 2002. By cooperating in the past few years, law enforcement officials have seized more than $56 million dollars in United States currency and arrested over 70 currency smugglers,” added Garza.
For more information about the U.S. government’s efforts to prevent criminals from smuggling and laundering currency, please see the following website: http://www.ice.gov/pi/financial/index.htm
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