Swiss police arrest five in money laundering operation
Swiss authorities tracked down the suspects using the trail of money from a 2010 discovery of 1.3 tons of cocaine in Germany.
Keystone
Police have arrested five people in Switzerland and abroad for involvement in an international money-laundering ring involving cocaine sales.
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swissinfo.ch and agencies/vdv
Following the money from a 2010 discovery of 1.3 tons of cocaine in Germany led officials to a money-laundering ring with several members working in Switzerland.
An investigation by Swiss federal police, drug crime officials and the Zurich cantonal police uncovered a Brazilian couple based in canton Zurich, who were running a travel agency as well as a firm for money transfers to Brazil. The couple and others working with them are accused of having laundered financial transactions in the millions to various countries.
On Tuesday, Zurich cantonal police said that the five men and women arrested for involvement in the operation range in age from 35 to 55 and come from Switzerland and South America. Those arrested in Switzerland were based in Geneva, Lausanne and Zurich.
Canton Zurich’s office for drug crime prosecution is continuing its investigation into the operation.
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