The facts detailed in the Petition include that Casa de Cambio Puebla SA [UID 662158] has a customer identification programme, effective KYC policies, CTR and SAR policies, PEP, high-risk and internal controls,  all of which are detailed. The petitioner claims that the funds seized and frozen are legitimate and should be returned forthwith, due to the lack of evidence proving links to drug trafficking..

It is perhaps noteworthy that the MSB's attorney is Frank Rubino, who is also the lawyer for General Manuel Noriega, and is an experienced criminal defence specialist.

The Petitioner states:

• It has followed all relevant Mexican & US laws "with respect to anti-money laundering detection and reporting."

• The funds seized were those of a lawful business licensed and monitored by the Mexican National Treasury Department through the National Banking and Securities Commission of Mexico.

• Personal funds of legitimate individuals, which were in transit through Casa de Cambio Puebla, will be lost, unless the funds are returned. The MSB will also be forced to close.
  

The MSB is requesting an evidentiary hearing, at which time its CEO and officers will appear in person and give testimony.  We agree that the ends of justice require that the government prove its case, in an adversary proceeding, through a preponderance of the evidence. If the MSB was involved in money laundering, by all means, prove it, and justify the seizure.

The United States Attorney has not yet responded to the Petition, but we shall be closely following the progress of this case for our readers.

For further research: Casa de Cambio Puebla SA vs. United States for Seizure Warrant, Case No.: 07-cv-21789-JAL.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
*  For our readers who have been trying to guess which major American bank was carrying this account, it was the same one we pointed out in our last article that was banking the Peruvian drug kingpin, after he was designated by OFAC. The bank was named in the Petition for Return of Seized Funds, so it is in the public domain.