Page:Title 3 CFR 2006 Compilation.djvu/322

This page needs to be proofread.

Other Presidential Documents had approved grants totaling $9@.5 million for Burma but withdrew in late 2005 due to the government's onerous restricticns and lack of full cooperation. The international Financial Action Task Force (FATF) continues to list Burma as one of only two \177'Non-cooperative Countries." At the heart of Burma's problems with international financial authorities is its weak implementation of anti-money laundering controls, with the result that narcotics traffickers and other criminal elements are still able to launder the proceeds of their crimes through Burmese financial institutions. while the picture of Burma's counternarcotics efforts remains overwhelmin91y negative, there were some positive aspects. The GOB, with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Australian Federal Police, disrupted two international traffickin\177 syndicates that are associated with the United Wa State Army (OWSA), a kingpin organization, and have ties throughout Asia, India, and North America. In September 2005, the GOB seized a UWSA-related shipment of approximately 496 kilograms of heroin bound for China via Laos. The seizure led to the arrest of 80 suspects, including two of UWSA Chairman Bao Yu Xia\177g's family members, and the seizure of assets, includin9 $1.3 million in cash. A second, related investigation from December 2005 through April 2006 culminated in the arrest of 30 subjects and the seizure of $2.2 million in assets and significant quantities of morphine base, heroin, opium, weapons, methamphetamine tablets and powder, crystal methamphetamine, pill presses, and precursor chemicals. 309