Abstract
Just as money is the lifeblood of legitimate business and industry, so too, is it the lifeblood of all domestic and international organized crime groups. Its flow through the international banking system sustains illicit operations by providing criminals with the new capital needed to pay operating expenses and to buy more goods and services. If the flow of money back to the criminal can be cut off, the criminal organization will wither and die no matter how great the demand for its products or services. This is especially true for drug trafficking groups, which generally deliver on consignment. Suppliers are often not paid until after the drugs are sold in individual-use quantities on the street. For this reason, law enforcement worldwide attaches great significance to money laundering.
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