US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA151

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000151 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM BRAZZAVILLE EMBASSY OFFICE 
 
FOR INL AND AF/C 
 
E.O.12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM, KSEP, PTER, SNAR, KTFN, EFIN, CF 
SUBJECT: CONGO/B:  2004-2005 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS 
CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT (INCSR) - FINANCIAL CRIMES AND 
MONEY LAUNDERING 
 
REF: (A) 04 STATE 254401 
 
1. In response to Reftel, Embassy Brazzaville provides 
the following narrative report as per instructions in 
Paragraph 17. 
 
BEGIN TEXT: 
 
The Republic of Congo (also called Congo-Brazzaville) 
is not considered a major drug producer, exporter or 
transit country.  As far as we are able to determine, 
it is not a major money-laundering country.  The 
Republic of Congo has consistently expressed 
willingness to work with us and other countries through 
Interpol and other organizations to combat drug 
trafficking, money laundering and terrorism.  However, 
it lacks both training and financial and human 
resources, and officials often inquire about 
opportunities for training in the United States and 
elsewhere. 
 
Congo-Brazzaville strengthened its laws against money 
laundering in 2003 by adopting the CEMAC regional 
regulations for prevention and repression of money 
laundering and financing of terrorism in central 
Africa.  These rules include penalties of both fines 
and imprisonment for money laundering and financing of 
terrorism.  They also regulate the operations of banks, 
money changers and casinos.  Export and import of CFA 
franc bank notes, the regional currency, is prohibited 
outside the CFA franc zone.  Travelers may not enter or 
leave the country with more than $1,980 (FCFA 1 
million) in local currency. 
 
In addition, Congo-Brazzaville requires that foreign 
transfer of more than $990 (FCFA 500,000) in local 
currency must receive prior approval of banking 
regulators. 
 
In 2003, Congo-Brazzaville applied the anti-money- 
laundering laws against Salu Humberto Brada, an export- 
import company accused of inappropriate microfinance 
operations and charging excess interest.  No money- 
laundering cases were tried during 2004. 
 
Congo-Brazzaville has bilateral extradition treaties 
with France, the Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo- 
Kinshasa) and Cuba.  It is a party to the multilateral 
Antananarivo Convention on Matters of Justice of 1961. 
 
On drug trafficking, Congo-Brazzaville reported to the 
UN Security Council in 2003 that no inter-agency 
coordination mechanism existed to control drugs at the 
country's borders.  That situation continued in 2004. 
 
In the same report, Congo-Brazzaville noted that, at 
the national level, it has the Committee against 
Criminality, the National Council of Security, and the 
Action Group against Money Laundering in Central 
Africa. 
 
END OF TEXT 
 
2. Brazzaville Embassy Office - Sanders 
 
MEECE