GOVERNMENTS NEED TO FIGHT MONEY LAUNDERING

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.

While police have never secured a conviction, it is alleged that money
laundering by organized crime is going on at B.C. casinos, including
at River Rock Casino and Resort in Richmond.

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.