In 2018, a massive money laundering prosecution fell apart in a Richmond courtroom. These are complex investigations that take expertise and resources, but according to the latest report from Peter German, there isn’t one full-time RCMP investigator focused on money laundering in B.C. The handful of officers who were involved were mainly focused on referring files to the director of civil forfeiture, who can use the courts to seize the proceeds of crime without the heavy lifting required for a criminal conviction.
While we are happy to see people handling dirty money taken to the cleaners, so to speak, we’d much rather see them working in the prison laundry.
The international criminals who turned B.C. into a laundromat for filthy cash are profiting from the drug trade and contributing to the fentanyl epidemic that’s claiming thousands of lives each year. They’re also stashing ill-gotten gains in real estate which is worsening our affordability crisis.
Without a hint of irony, the BC Liberal caucus took to social media to criticize the NDP for the “failure.” But, when in government, they not only ignored warnings about rampant money laundering – including people showing up at casinos with hockey bags full of cash – they actively suppressed reports underscoring the problem.
The most recent budget from the federal Liberals committed more resources to fighting money laundering, which evidently, we need. And new provincial rules mandating transparency in property ownership will make it harder for gangs to hide their earnings, which we also welcome.
This has become a stain on B.C. It’s time we dealt with our dirty laundry.
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