It was business as usual on Monday for Banco Delta Asia (BDA), a Macao-based bank accused by the United States government of money laundering.

 

Stanley Au, chairman of the Delta Asia Financial Group, BDA's parent company, told Macao Daily News that customers are using the deposits services again, an indication that business is getting back on track.

 

Stuart Levey, the United States Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI), said in a report published on the Department of Treasury website on Thursday that BDA had aided the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in a series of money laundering cases.

 

In his report, Levey also slammed the Macao Special Administration for its lax anti-money laundering measures.

 

Levey's accusation unnerved the bank's customers, who withdrew a total of 300 million patacas (US$37.5 million) as of Saturday, amounting to 10 percent of the bank's deposits.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 20, 2005)