Santo Domingo.-48 hours after President Luis Abinader warned that, together with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), “much more extensive and profound” actions would be taken to fight drug trafficking, 16 people were arrested for being part of an extensive logistics network that moved drug shipments and shipped them to their final destination.
The network had its largest operations in the Boca Chica area, with the Caucedo Multinodal Port as its main drug loading and unloading center.
In Boca Chica
Among those arrested are 10 employees of the port terminal, of which 9 were detained at the port, who facilitated operations for the drug trafficking network. There is also a former councilor of the Boca Chica city council (2016-2020), who had also unsuccessfully aspired to be mayor of that municipality.
This is Francisco Alberto Paulino Castro, who came to preside over the chapter house of Boca Chica and then aspired to be the mayoral candidate for the Modern Revolutionary Party, which he did not achieve.
Among those arrested have also been identified José Augusto Rodríguez Sánchez (El Rubio), Melvin Manuel Fis Taveras, Wilmer Evangelista Rumaldo, Ángel David Féliz Cuevas, Francisco Alberto Paulino Castro (Francis or El Compadre), Edwin Alberto Mejía Guerrero, Fernando Javier Castro Ramos, Wilson Tomás Altagracia de la Cruz, Leandro Manuel Arias Santana (Berni), Cleudi Zapata, Manuel Almancio Moreno de los Santos, Fernando de Jesús Ventura Segura, Jonathan Ditrén (El Brujo), Mauricio Josué Castillo and José Alberto López Alcántara (Bururún).
Prior seizure
The occupation of a stash of 200 packages of cocaine on November 7 was the starting point of the investigation that concluded with the operation that was led by the president of the DNCD, Vice Admiral José Manuel Cabrera Ulloa, and Deputy Attorney General Wilson Camacho, Director of Prosecution of the Public Ministry, in an action in which even a helicopter was used.
The group was arrested during 36 raids carried out by 40 prosecutors and 312 DNCD agents in different areas of the National District, the province of Santo Domingo (Boca Chica) and San Pedro de Macorís.
Deputy Attorney General Wilson Camacho explained that in the next few hours the detainees who will be prosecuted for their connection to the commission of crimes related to drug trafficking or money laundering will be presented to court.
Camacho recalled that the Attorney General’s Office has toughened the fight against drug trafficking, money laundering and organized crime.
Through a press release, the Public Ministry indicated that after proceeding with the dismantling of the network, they seized money and vehicles.
Cooperation with DEA
Last week, a high-level commission from the United States Anti-Drug Agency traveled to Santo Domingo and congratulated the Dominican president for the support provided to the fight against drug trafficking both in the country and in the Caribbean region.
During the meeting, it was agreed to reinforce cooperation, equipment and the exchange of information in real time, to decisively confront drug trafficking cartels, specifically the Cartel of the Suns and other structures linked to the criminal group that operate in the region.
Daniel Salter, principal deputy administrator of the DEA, highlighted the high level of collaboration between the Dominican Republic and the United States, an alliance that has been successful in combating and dismantling drug cartels, within the framework of the joint efforts being developed throughout the region.
Early last Wednesday, the authorities carried out operations in sectors of Villa Mella, in Santo Domingo Norte, in which helicopters were used to fly over the homes, causing panic among people who woke up without knowing what was happening.
Anti-drug fight
—1— Monitoring
Last week, Dominican authorities intercepted a boat carrying 806 packages of cocaine off the coast of the province of Pedernales.
—2— Allies
The Dominican Republic maintains a close collaboration with the United States.
