 Lula announces crackdown |
The Brazilian government has announced a series of measures to crack down on money laundering by the country's increasingly powerful criminal organisations. Amongst other things, the government is for the first time to create a special unit to trace laundered money.
The measures against money laundering are a somewhat belated effort to confront the growing power of organised crime in many of Brazil's big cities.
Criminal gangs are involved in large-scale drugs and arms trafficking.
Corruption scandals
In addition, Brazil has been rocked in recent years by a series of major corruption scandals, including transfers of stolen money out of the country by some top politicians.
Some estimates suggest money laundering may reach more than thirty-billion dollars a year.
The new measures announced by the Justice Minister, Marcio Thomaz Bastos, will oblige banks to inform the central bank of all transfers more than thirty-five-thousand dollars.
More important, the government will create a special unit to co-ordinate investigations between all the different government ministries and departments.
One-Minute World News 
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