FBI: U.S. Dismantles Global Drug and Money-Laundering Hub in Las Vegas
The FBI headquarters is seen on February 2, 2018 in Washington, DC. President Donald Trump contemplating the possible release of a highly controversial Republican memo alleging the FBI abused its surveillance tools. Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials said Wednesday, July 14, that they busted a key international drug and money-laundering hub in Las Vegas.

The top federal prosecutor and the FBI chief in Las Vegas said the investigation started six years ago and has involved around 30 other countries.

Associated Press reported that the investigation became public after the recent arrests of six people. The suspects were arrested in Nevada, Arizona, California, and Washington on conspiracy, drug, and money-laundering charges.

Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou and Aaron Rouse, special agent in charge of the FBI Las Vegas office, said these charges resulted from a global joint investigation titled "Operation Money Maker."

U.S. officials worked with representatives of law enforcement agencies in Colombia, Costa Rica, Canada, Australia, Israel, the United Kingdom, and Romania to probe a crime organization.

Suspects in the Drug and Money-Laundering Operations

Those arrested in the operations included Barak Amar from Las Vegas. He allegedly conspired with others to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, KTNV reported.

He is indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. He was also charged with the distribution of the said substance, with a possibility to spend 60 years in prison.

Other suspects include Arshak Arayan, who was indicted on the same case as Amar. He was from California. Ofir Frieden from San Jose, California, was indicted on 45 counts of money-laundering, eight counts of conspiracy to distribute, and 10 counts of distribution. Frieden could be in prison for 80 years for the said charges.

Djekem Kedoshim from Seattle, Washington was charged for writing a business check to co-conspirators. Kedoshim was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and four counts of money laundering, with a possibility of spending 40 years in prison.

Meanwhile, Moshel Malka and Shine True face a possible total of 40 years in prison for conspiring with others to deposit illegal cash proceeds and writing checks to co-conspirators.

FBI Dismantles the Las Vegas Hub

The FBI chief in Las Vegas said they did not base their operation and investigation on casino-related cases. Rouse also said that millions of dollars were involved, but he would not specify the amount, U.S. News reported.

Rouse further noted that the dismantled drugs-and-money operation supports "trans-national" criminal organizations. He said the arrest of the six suspects and "dozens" of others in other places would cripple these criminal groups.

However, the FBI chief in Las Vegas did not provide the exact numbers, places, or details of the said cases. In 2010, the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crimes estimates that yearly illicit funds were more than $2 trillion worldwide.

Meanwhile, proceeds generated in the United States were totaled around $300 billion, according to the FBI's website. Money laundering is a technique wherein launderers integrate their dirty money into the financial system.

Once criminal funds have entered the financial system, it won't be easy to track and trace the money due to the layering and integration phases.

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Written by: Mary Webber

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