In an as of yet unique case, a charges have been pressed in the Netherlands against the Dutch bank Rabobank, and it's top management, accusing them of being accomplice to murder, and other crimes against humanity committed by the Mexican drugs cartel, prompted by a US investigation into moneylaundring of cartel money by a daughter company of the bank, Rabobank N.A., situated in Calexico, a US town near the border of Mexico.
The case is unique, because instead of just focussing on moneylaundry, the case is also about the effects on the Mexican population.
Criminal justice lawyer Göran Sluiter, who filed the case on behalf of SMX Collective, says: "moneylaundry is a crime with victims. Drug organisations are extremely violent, and moneylaundry is essential to their ability to function".
SMX Collective is an organisation which fights for human rights in Mexico, with one of it's founder's, Fernando Hernández, living in the Netherlands.
Sluiter and his clients decided not to wait for the results of the US investigation into the daughter company. They say they do this to prevent what happened during the Libor case from happening again.
Back then, the Rabobank was fined 774 million dollar for manipulating interest fees. However, when a criminal case was filed in the Netherlands, it was dismissed, because 'there has already been too much investigation into the matter, and there are juridical shortcomings in those other investigations'.
To prevent that argument from being used again, Sluiter decided to press charges now, and not wait for the results of the US investigation.
According to Hernández, financial institutions like the Rabobank play a key role in the success of the drug cartels. He has asked Sluiter to sue both the bank as institute, as well as it's senior staff (as natural persons), for being accomplice to murder, and crimes against humanity.
Sluiter: "the Rabobank must have known of the drug cartel's prescence. Despite this, they have closed their eyes. By knowingly laundrying criminal money, they have made themselves member of a criminal organisation".
Official Rabobank spokesman Eijpe refuses to answer the question whether Rabobank was aware of the prescence of drug cartels in Calexico. Former employees of Rabobank N.A. have not responded to interview requests.
http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/aanklacht-rabobank-medeplichtig-aan-moord-en-misdaden-drugskartels~a4456671/