DATE=10/20/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-240484 TITLE=MEXICO-SALINAS BYLINE=CINDY LAVANDEROS DATELINE=MEXICO CITY CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: SWISS AUTHORITIES HAVE ORDERED THE CONFISCATION OF MORE THAN $100 MILLION DOLLARS BELONGING TO RAUL SALINAS, BROTHER OF FORMER MEXICAN PRESIDENT CARLOS SALINAS. THEY SAY MR. SALINAS LAUNDERED DRUG MONEY FROM 1988 TO 1994 WHEN HIS BROTHER WAS PRESIDENT. CINDY LAVANDEROS REPORTS FROM MEXICO CITY. TEXT: AFTER A THREE-YEAR INVESTIGATION, SWISS PROSECUTORS HAVE CONCLUDED THAT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN ACCOUNTS BELONGING TO RAUL SALINAS CAME FROM DRUG TRAFFICKING BRIBES. THEY HAVE ORDERED THE CONFISCATION OF $114 MILLION DOLLARS, MOST OF WHICH ARE IN SWISS BANK ACCOUNTS. DESPITE THEIR CONCLUSIONS, SWISS PROSECUTORS SAY THEY WILL NOT PROCEED WITH THEIR CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST RAUL SALINAS BECAUSE MEXICAN AUTHORITIES HAVE ALREADY BEGUN THEIR OWN INVESTIGATION. MR. SALINAS IS CURRENTLY IN A HIGH SECURITY PRISON IN MEXICO AWAITING TRIAL ON CHARGES RANGING FROM MASTERMINDING THE 1994 MURDER OF A POLITICAL RIVAL, TO ILLEGAL ENRICHMENT DURING HIS BROTHER'S ADMINISTRATION. SWISS AUTHORITIES SAY RAUL SALINAS RECEIVED HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PAYOFFS FROM COLOMBIAN AND MEXICAN DRUG CARTELS. PART OF THE MONEY, THEY SAY, WAS SPENT BRIBING MEXICAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND SECURITY FORCES; THE REST WAS DEPOSITED IN MEXICAN AND FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNTS. SWISS PROSECUTORS ESTIMATE RAUL SALINAS RECEIVED AT LEAST $500 MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE DRUG CARTELS. MR. SALINAS HAS DENIED ANY TIES TO DRUG TRAFFICKING. HE CLAIMS THE FUNDS DEPOSITED IN HIS SWISS ACCOUNTS BELONG TO AN INVESTMENT FUND HE CREATED WITH WEALTHY FRIENDS. HE SAID FROM HIS PRISON CELL THAT HE WOULD REFUTE SWISS ACCUSATIONS "POINT BY POINT." BUT A STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE SWISS PROSECUTORS OFFICE SAYS, "THE BUSINESS DEALINGS RAUL SALINAS CLAIMS TO BE LEGAL ARE FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES UNSOUND AND INCOMPREHENSIBLE AND CONTRARY TO CUSTOMARY BUSINESS USAGE." FORMER MEXICAN PRESIDENT CARLOS SALINAS, WHO MOVED TO IRELAND IN 1995 AFTER LEAVING OFFICE, HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED WITH ANY CRIME. LOCAL MEDIA REPORT HE IS CURRENTLY IN CUBA CONSULTING WITH ADVISERS ON HIS BROTHER'S MONEY LAUNDERING CASE. (SIGNED) NEB/CL/GE 20-Oct-98 2:39 PM EDT (1839 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .