Pubdate: Fri, 01 Feb 2002
Source: Denver Rocky Mountain News (CO)
Copyright: 2002, Denver Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.rockymountainnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/371

BAJA CALIFORNIA TOURISM SECRETARY DISPUTES DRUG LINK

A Treasury Department list of businesses with alleged links to drug 
traffickers includes a company owned by the family of the tourism secretary 
for the Mexican state of Baja California.

Tourism Secretary Alejandro Moreno denied Friday that his family's parking 
garage business has been used to launder money for a Mexican drug cartel 
and said he would open the company's records to U.S. authorities to prove 
the allegations are untrue.

"I'm confident that the family name will be completely cleared when the 
facts of this situation come to light," Moreno said in a statement released 
through a San Diego public relations firm.

Moreno, a prominent businessman in Tijuana, Mexico, was appointed tourism 
secretary in the border state by Gov. Eugenio Elorduy, who was elected in July.

His family's company, Valpark S.A., was included on a list of 12 businesses 
and 15 individuals that Treasury Department officials said Thursday had 
laundered drug proceeds or acted as agents or fronts for the Tijuana-based 
Arellano Felix drug cartel or Caribbean drug kingpin Glenroy Matthew.

The list also includes the Oasis Beach Resort, a large, domed hotel 
overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Rosarito Beach, as well as a Baja 
California drug store chain, real estate firm and two electronic security 
system companies.

The Treasury Department ordered U.S. banks to freeze any assets belonging 
to the businesses found in the United States and barred the firms from 
doing business in this country.

In response, a top Mexican prosecutor said his country's Justice Department 
is waiting to see U.S. evidence against those named in the list before 
taking any action.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager