A criminal network made up of police agents, led by the colonel who directed the Arms Administration of the National Policestole more than 900 thousand projectiles, according to authorities.
The Public Ministry indicated that the so-called Operation Pandora began in October after a joint request from the Ministry of the Interior and Police and the general director of the uniformed institution.
More than 200 agents from special units, the Preventive Police and the Central Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DICRIM) participated in this operation, along with 40 prosecutors who carried out raids in the National District and in the provinces of Santo Domingo, Santiago, Sánchez Ramírez and Pedernales.
Among those arrested are:
- Colonel Narciso Antonio Féliz Romeroin charge of the custody of weapons and ammunition.
- Deputy Mayor Juan Miguel Pérez Soler.
- Captain Nelson Valdezresponsible for the Weapons Depot.
- Captain and auditor Víctor Manuel Santosaccused of manipulating an audit in February to cover up the theft.
- Second Lieutenant Marino Antonio Rodríguez Toribiogunsmith of the Cibao Central Regional Directorate.
Other key members were also arrested, such as Sergeant Major Miguel Ángel Gómez Espaillat, Corporal Juan Luis Díaz Medina, privates Rubiel Martínez (alias “Escobar”) and Moreibin Medina Pérez, and the accused Miguelina Bello Segura.
You can read: They investigate 15 police officers for theft of ammunition
The judicial body highlighted that Captain Santos, who had been an auditor at the Arms Administration for more than six years, not only altered previous reports, but also tried to manipulate data again after the investigation progressed. This attempt was detected in time thanks to the joint work of the researchers.
During the operation, weapons, ammunition, electronic devices, digital evidence, financial transactions and testimonies were seized, consolidating a solid evidentiary file to present before the investigating judge.
You can read: Haiti and neighborhoods of the capital were the destinations of the ammunition stolen from the Police
The Public Ministry valued the collaboration between institutions in this case, pointing out that the internal complaint of the National Police and its commitment to institutional reform were fundamental. “This case marks a before and after in the fight against corruption within law enforcement,” the agency said in a statement.
The Operation Pandora represents a significant advance in the fight against organized crime and corruption, underscoring the importance of transparency and inter-institutional cooperation to strengthen the rule of law.
