18 MONTHS AFTER THE ICE TBML UNIT GOT AN "F" FROM THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, IN A SCATHING REPORT, NO IMPROVEMENT CAN BE SEEN TO ADDRESS THE MULTITUDE OF PROBLEMS IT FACES

In August 2023,the Office of Inspector General published OIG-23-41, entitled ICE HAS LIMITED ABILITY TO IDENTIFY AND COMBAT TRADE-BASED MONEY LAUNDERING SCHEMES. That report showed that the ICE Trade Transparency Unit a/k/a TTU (1) Had insufficient experienced staff and leadership to meet the challenges of TBML, and (2) Did not have any technological assets equipped to properly and efficiently monitor international trade transactions. In essence, the agency received a failing grade from ICE. Unfortunately, this news was not widely disseminated in the media, for reasons we are unable to determine.

One and one-half years later, we see no significant improvement in either category, which in essence means that the agency has failed to take any steps to remedy the shortcomings found by the IG, resulting in the sad fact that meaningful identification and interdiction/arrest, and thereby deterrence, is completely absent. If these two major issues are not resolved forthwith, the TTU should be dismantled, and its responsibilities assigned elsewhere, or perhaps even completely outsourced to private contractors. When it comes to Trade-Based Money Laundering, which threatens America's national security, failure is NOT an option.