WILL PRIVATE TERMINAL AT MIA FACILITATE MONEY LAUNDERING?

Details of a planned private suite service at Miami International Airport, targeting wealthy scheduled airline travelers who will pay $4000 to avoid the MIA crowds is disturbing, because the situation, where clients will be pampered and accommodated preflight in every way could lend itself to the unwitting facilitation of money laundering.The former Pan Am facility on 36th Street will be used for the private terminal.

The arrangement, which is reportedly already in use at LAX, comtemplates personalized TSA checks, luxury treatment of clients, and in general an atmosphere that one usually sees only for those affluent enough to travel on business jets My concern is that the illegal transport of financial instruments payable to the bearer, and yes, even bulk cash smuggling, will be facilitated by the "customer is always right" procedure for the high rollers who pay for such services.

Original 1920s terminal.

As readers probably know, back in the Miami Vice days, I bulk cash smuggled an extraordinary amount of cash and financial instruments through MIA, using tradecraft known to laundrymen, as well as other international airports, such at Charles de Gaulle (CDG) in Paris, and I fully expect that money launderers will be able to use the relaxed atmosphere of a private terminal to their utmost advantage. Let us hope that the Miami-Dade County Aviation Department retreats from its decision, and does not allow a such a terminal to be created. Miami has enough money laundering problems as it is; this could makes things worse.