Uruguay and Nicaragua move against Waked

TWO MORE COUNTRIES have joined the United States in taking action against the Waked family conglomerate while in Panama, where the family has its headquarters, government departments are working to stave off  a collapse of the business with the loss of up to 5,000 jobs.

On Monday, May 17,  The Central Bank of Uruguay and the National Secretariat Against Money Laundering presented a criminal complaint yesterday against the Waked family for money laundering.

According to media reports in Uruguay, the decision to file the complaint was based on the decision by U.S. officials to include the family, and 68 of their companies, on the Clinton list for laundering money for drug traffickers.

In Uruguay, the Waked Group owns the La Riviera duty free shops operating in the cities of Rivera and Aceguá, Rio Branco.

According to the reports, the stores will continue to operate during the investigation.

In 2013, the Waked Group acquired four corporations in Uruguay. The firms have permits granted by the authorities of that country to operate on the border with Brazil.

Guillermina Mcdonald, attorney for Abdul Waked in Panama, told La Prensa on  Monday that she is unaware of this investigation, but said she will look into it.

The lawyer said  that her client is cooperating with Panamanian authorities investigating the claims by the U.S. government.

Meanwhile, in Peñas Blancas, Nicaragua, the La Riviera duty-free shop, also owned by the Wakeds, was closed.

The newspaper El Nuevo Diario revealed that the establishment was closed on the orders of customs authorities. Earlier this year Riviera shops in Guatemala were close during a major customs scam investigation.

Colombian authorities are holding NIdal Waked, arrested in Bogota and awaiting extradition to the US and have said they will look at seizing the dozens of Riviera.stores operating in the country.