Saint Dominic.-The temporary closure of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) office in Santo Domingo corresponds to an investigation by the United States Attorney General’s Office, related to the leak of sensitive information involving its personnel.
The scandal arises after a message published by the United States ambassador to the country, Leah Francis Campos, in which she announced said closure and assured that she maintains a “zero tolerance” policy against any indication of corruption.
“Corruption has no place in the United States Government or any other. It is a repugnant and dishonorable violation of public trust to use official position for personal gain. I will not tolerate even the perception of corruption anywhere in the embassy that I direct,” Campos expressed in his public statement on the X account, former Twitter.
In this context, he reported that the DEA office in Santo Domingo will remain closed “until further notice,” without offering further details about the specific circumstances that motivated the measure.
Joint operations
So far, no additional information has been offered about the scope of the closure or how it will impact joint operations between Dominican and US authorities.
Through a statement, the diplomatic mission explained that the measure is temporary and is part of its institutional protocols.
“The temporary closure of the DEA office in Santo Domingo is intended to allow time for an internal investigation of this embassy. The Dominican Republic is a fundamental partner in our work to combat narcoterrorism throughout the region,” the statement indicates.
The Embassy assured that bilateral cooperation in security and the fight against drug trafficking will continue without interruptions.
“That work will continue at the same strong pace between the US Embassy in Santo Domingo and our Dominican partners, even as our internal investigation is carried out,” it adds.
The DEA office in Santo Domingo is a “satellite” of the office for the Caribbean region based in Puerto Rico.
DEA
— Collaboration
The DEA, through its office for the Caribbean region, maintains close collaboration with Dominican authorities in the fight against drug trafficking and other crimes linked to transnational organized crime.
DEA supervisor in the DR was arrested
Extent. Last night The Associated Press released information about the arrest of a supervisor at the DEA office in the Dominican Republic as part of an investigation into the abuse of a US visa program for confidential informants.
In a cable from Miami it is indicated that the detainee was Melitón Cordero. The investigation is led by the United States Department of Homeland Security.
The arrest comes after President Donald Trump’s administration unexpectedly closed its anti-narcotics office in the Caribbean nation hours earlier on Thursday for what it called a “disgusting and disgraceful violation of the public trust.”
