The Argentine government said on Feb 9, 2001 it had set up a commission to monitor the country's banks in response to a U.S. congressional probe into the role of U.S. banks in laundering dirty money from drug dealing, corruption and organized crime. The move comes after two Argentine legislators interviewed by U.S. investigators during their probe alleged that two financial institutions in Argentina were linked to money laundering.

"We have decided to put the commission into action next week,"