In Dominican Republicthe creativity of the criminals It seems to have no limits. In the last two months, the National Police has announced the existence of bands who dress up with uniforms from the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD), the Central Investigation Directorate (Dicrim) and even pose as prosecutors to commit crimes.
According to the entity’s reports, these antisocials, dressed in vests, badges and false credentials, manage to infiltrate communities, taking advantage of the trust that these symbols generate to carry out fraudulent operations and extortion.
Authorities recently reported a series of raids directed against a criminal organization known as “los Panchos,” which allegedly carries out terrorist activities drug traffickingarms trafficking and other crimes in Santo Domingo Norte. According to a press release, the members of this gang use bulletproof vests, t-shirts, and caps with Dicrim and DNCD insignia.
They allege that two rifles, a pistol, three kilograms of cocaine, 28 portions of marijuana, 104 ecstasy pills and 70 5.56 caliber capsules were also seized.
During the operations, Alejandro Antonio Castro, identified as one of the members of the network, was arrested. In addition, authorities indicated that other members remain at large, including John Bryan Rosario, alias “Lanoy,” identified as the leader, along with two individuals known by the nicknames “Casimiro” and “Mamau.”
Heist in jeweler’s of Saint Louis
On Monday, October 28, in the community of Saint Louisin Santo Domingo Este, a heist in one jeweler’sin which the alleged criminals they pretended to be agents of the DNCD and managed to steal approximately four thousand grams of gold.
The assailants arrived at the scene dressed in bulletproof vests and caps with the DNCD logo, claiming that they were carrying out an official operation.
The National Police arrested five people in relation to the crime: David Polanco, alias “el Poli” and former member of the Police; Pedro Luis Hernández, known as “el Gordo”; Manuel Argenis Morfe Lima; Nicolás Diroche, alias “Nose”; and Yoryina Beato García, nicknamed “the Fat Blonde.”
The spokesperson of the National Police, Diego Pesqueirareported that, in addition to the detainedanother seven people remain at large. The fugitives have been identified as Santiago Alexis Pérez (alias “Chavo”), Junior Samuel González Núñez (“Nuno”), José Luis Sanó Gómez (“el Haitiano”), Alejandro Samboy Genao (“Breily”), José Miguel López ( “Carnaval”), Joel Andrés Samboy Regalado (“Joel Capotillo” or “Cartucho”), and Ángelo Omar Puello (“Anyelo”).
Similar case in Barahona
Another similar case occurred on September 27 in the jeweler’s Acosta, located in Barahona. Three armed men, dressed in uniforms who imitated those of the DNCD, attacked the establishment and stole approximately eight million pesos in jewelry. During the assaultThey tied up the owner and fled in a white CR-V SUV.
The Police reported that they managed to dismantle the criminal structure behind this assaultarresting eight people involved.
Among the detained Luis Miguel de la Cruz, alias “el Don”, is arrested in La Vega; Eduard de Jesús Mercedes Rodríguez, detained on the Duarte highway; and Argeny Rafael Fernández Polanco, alias “el Compa”, arrested in Santiago. Two of these individuals posed as members of the DNCD, while one more presented himself as a prosecutor.
In addition, they identified Johnny Iván Pérez de Oleo, alias “Johnny Poy”, as the alleged leader of the gang and with an “extensive criminal record.” Laura Elizabeth Cuevas Rivas, who manages a jeweler’s in the Santo Domingo Este municipality of the Santo Domingo province.
Cuevas Rivas was arrested in the Evaristo Morales sector, in the National District, where she handed over 124,000 pesos and several personal items.
The other members of the gang identified by the National Police are Eduard de Jesús Mercedes Rodríguez, alias “Prieto”, 29 years old; Erick Alberto Féliz Urbáez; Haitian citizen Willy de la Paz; and José Manuel Suero Manzueta.
Pesqueira added that in the Renacimiento sector, in the National District, the father of “Johnny Poy” voluntarily handed over 500,000 pesos from the heist.
In addition to using a modus operandi similar to that of the DNCD, the cases coincided in involving two women.
Assault on a couple
In September, a group of five criminals who carried long weapons posed as agents of the Dicrim and assaulted a couple in Saint LouisSanto Domingo Este.
The assailants detained the couple on the street and they stripped her of her belongings, an event that was captured on security video.
