Dirty Money

Dirty Money

The world is all up against dirty money coming from drugs, gambling, corruption and other illicit activities. Various countries around the world put up legal structures to control and minimize the flow of money acquired through unlawful and morally unacceptable means.

But the truth is, there are plenty of dirty money flowing out of morally deplorable sources  and legally   questionable means. Surprisingly, from such sources, money flows easily more than it does on sources and means capitalized with human sweat and immortal intelligence. Take as an example how much money is produced in drug trade and in gambling in our country. Its no secret that drug and gambling money has bought protection of police and secured the election of many local and national candidates.

Governments, by taking gambling and drugs as social problems, declared war against these problem by using the military and police forces. However such approach did not stop nor reduced money flowing from these sources, but only triggered rivalry and competition for control over them. It then appears that, criminalizing these act does not deter people from gaining access to them. Instead, government tried the opposite approach by putting them at the mainstream of society, legalizing them.

This latest trend and approach to decriminalize and impose more government control seems to work especially in the case of gambling. Besides, it has brought economic impetus to host cities and provided government with the much needed revenues to finance many of its social projects. It has also lessen the stigma labeled against it, making it "acceptable" and less reprehensible. A visit on many of this entertainment city will make a great impression that the strategy is working.

Certainly, legal cloak and government's acceptance do not and cannot resolve the many ethical and moral issues inherent in drugs and gambling as social problems. Numerous families have been shattered by the (to be continued...)