Govt. steps up laundering investigations

The Honduran government's banking and insurance supervisory committee has been conducting an increasing number of investigations into alleged money-laundering operations committed by bank account holders, local daily El Tiempo reported. So far this year the committee has frozen the accounts of 80 clients under investigation for drug related crimes and money laundering activities, adding to last year's 250 cases, committee member Ana Cristina Mejia was quoted as saying. The banking and insurance committee opens an internal investigation into the bank accounts of every client under suspicion by the public ministry, Mejia said, adding that funds within these accounts remain frozen until legal judgment has been passed. If the accused party is found guilty then the frozen funds are destined to the public ministry to aid in the fight against drug related crime, Mejia added.