A scathing independent report released Wednesday paints a B次元官网网址渢roubling pictureB次元官网网址� of governments that B次元官网网址渢urned a blind eye to money launderingB次元官网网址� in B.C. casinos.
The was written by former RCMP deputy commissioner Peter German, who said that years of money laundering brought the gaming industry into disrepute.
Attorney General David Eby commissioned the report after laundering was brought to the forefront earlier this year when news reports uncovered large-scale criminal activity in the provinceB次元官网网址檚 casinos.
German said the problem came to an B次元官网网址渁pexB次元官网网址� in 2015, when a Vancouver-area casino accepted $13.5 million in $20 bills over a one-month period.
B次元官网网址淣obody said no. Nobody said to not accept this money unless you know where it came from,B次元官网网址� Eby said.
However, despite that and a 2011 report highlighting the issue, German said no action was taken.
B次元官网网址淭he failure to take action allowed money laundering to proliferate in B.C. casinos,B次元官网网址� German said.
B次元官网网址淟ittle was done to prosecute despite abundant evidence of a serious problem.B次元官网网址�
German said that although itB次元官网网址檚 hard to get a grip on the sheer scale of the problem, well over $100 million is believed to have been laundered through B.C.B次元官网网址檚 casinos.
The former cop provided 48 recommendations in his report. Eby said that heB次元官网网址檚 already moved on implementing one-fifth of the recommendations, and is working on implementing 15 more.
GermanB次元官网网址檚 recommendations include bringing in a B次元官网网址渟pecialized gaming police force,B次元官网网址� bring in a new independent regulator and that casinos not accept cash unless they know where it came from.
In January, the province announced that all cash, bank drafts and certified cheque buy-ins worth $10,000 or more have to be accompanied by a receipt showing the financial institution, branch number and account number the money came from.
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German pointed out that anyone, including casino operators, should know that anyone coming in with B次元官网网址�$200,000 in $20 bills wrapped in elastic bandsB次元官网网址� was likely not up to any good.
B次元官网网址淭hat is not how the bank issues stacks of cash,B次元官网网址� he said.
German said that money laundering is not the B次元官网网址渧ictimless crimeB次元官网网址� that past politicians believed it to be.
He pointed to money he said was parked in Vancouver real estate, as well as the gun- and drug-trafficking-related violence in Lower Mainland cities.
. begins the call by saying with "absolute" certainty that money laundering that is happening in casinos.
B次元官网网址� Kat Slepian (@katslepian)
B次元官网网址淢oney laundering is the modern face of organized crime. It is the underbelly of the violence we see on our streets,B次元官网网址� German said.
B次元官网网址淲e know that the same people who arrange for money to be laundered in casinos were buying real estate.
Eby pointed to opioid crisis, which claimed more than 1,400 lives last year, as a price B.C. has paid for allowing money laundering to continue.
But German said that although some organized crime has foreign root, much of it also begins domestically B次元官网网址� and that B.C. residents are often the ones buying the illegal goods.
B次元官网网址淲ho is the drugs? ItB次元官网网址檚 people in this province buying the drugs.B次元官网网址�
German said that the attention placed on casinos in the past few years has seen organized crime shift away from casinos.
B次元官网网址淲hat we donB次元官网网址檛 know is where it went. What vehicle is currently being used to launder drug cash in Metro Vancouver?B次元官网网址� German said.
He asked the province to call on Ottawa to update legislation to track commodities like luxury cars and boats, which can also be used to launder money.
The Attorney General placed the blame for lack of enforcement at the feet of the former BC Liberal government.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not like people werenB次元官网网址檛 aware, itB次元官网网址檚 not like people werenB次元官网网址檛 notified,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淚n my opinion, responsibility lies with government and that government has been removed.B次元官网网址�
The BC Liberals did not immediately return a request for comment.
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