The Province January 7, 2011

http://www.theprovince.com/news/Editorial+Governments+need+fight+money+laundering/4073906/story.html

Only in Canada would people express surprise that money laundering and organized crime was linked to the casino industry, as heavily government regulated as it is here. The big-time operators in Las Vegas, Macau and other gambling meccas around the world must roll their eyes at what wet-behind-the-ears innocents we must seem.

Reports out earlier this week suggest money laundering could be taking place in B.C. casinos, although no charges have been laid. It is believed that drug dealers buy chips in casinos, walk out with them and then have underlings cash them later in smaller batches. With the size of B.C.'s multi-billion-dollar marijuana industry, it should surprise no one that this is happening.

The RCMP and various experts complain that casinos aren't doing enough to fight the problem, but this isn't the case.

Documents released this week show the casinos are following the law in reporting large cash transactions.

It's the labyrinthine bureaucracy — including the B.C. Lotteries Corp., B.C.'s Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada — that those reports take months to struggle through before reaching police that is destroying the chance for prompt, effective enforcement.

It's up to the police and government — and not the casinos, who make easy scapegoats — to fix the problem.