Nowadays, the system of criminal justice involves numerous types of offenses. Among these offenses are usually crime, human trafficking, illegal possession of firearms, and fraud. However, among crimes, one that is worth attention is money laundering, which can be commonly used not only by drug cartels but ordinary people. Ozark is a police drama TV series, which is based on the rivalry between the drug cartel and law enforcement. In one of the first season’s episodes, Marty, the main character, illustrates the process of money laundering crime.
The scene starts with the exchange of a suitcase of narcotics wrapped in plastic bags and a suitcase with cash. Each crime involves an act of conduct, which illustrates that the party indeed committed a crime (Herring, 2022). This is illustrated by the exchange of suitcases and further laundering of money. The next step used by Marty involved counting every dollar to see how much money needed to be laundered (Jared2k44, 2017). For this purpose, the man used a bill counter, a machine employed to count money quickly.
After reviewing how much money is held, Marty put every dollar and coin in the sack and threw it in the washing machine. This is done presumably to clean any narcotic residue from the bill. In his speech, Marty discusses that in order to launder money, “you need a cash business, something pleasant and joyful” to manipulate the system (Jared2k44, 2017, 0:48). Another element, mens rea, has to do with the mental state of the person (Herring, 2022). In the scene, one can see that Marty is fully sane and is committing a crime voluntarily. In other parts, the character explains that the further actions involve depositing money from the business and then withdrawing it from another ATM, with the funds being legal (Jared2k44, 2017). Thus, describing the crime scene is more challenging than hearing about it since it involves many details to which one must pay attention.
In summary, Marty, the main character in Ozark, commits the crime of money laundering. A suitcase containing cash and a suitcase containing drugs wrapped in plastic bags are traded at the beginning of the scene. Every crime involves behavior that proves the offender committed the crime. Mens rea is a different element, related to the person’s mental condition. One can tell from the incident that Marty is completely sane and acting on his own will.
References
Jared2k44. (2017). Money Laundering 101 (Ozark – S01E04) [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Herring, J. (2022). Criminal law concentrate. Oxford University Press.