Overview
- In a 6–3 decision authored by Justice Loretta Ortiz Ahlf, the court upheld the Financial Intelligence Unit’s authority to order preventive account freezes when it detects reasonable signs of money laundering or related crimes.
- UIF chief Omar Reyes Colmenares said the tool targets illicit actors, not lawful users, and relies on bank alerts about unusual transactions that analysts review before issuing a freeze.
- The UIF says affected customers are told through their bank within five business days and have ten business days to request an administrative hearing and present records to prove funds are lawful.
- Business groups and legal experts warn freezes can halt payroll, supplier payments, and loan servicing, raise insolvency and job-loss risks, and limit fast defenses because courts no longer grant automatic suspensions while cases proceed.
- Compliance officers at banks flag cases first, and analysts note U.S. actions against CIBanco, Intercam, and Vector have raised risk caution in Mexico, which could drive more alerts to the UIF and more freezes in practice.