The embezzlement of more than RD$100 million that was discovered in the regional offices of the Director General of Customs (DGA) has created a major scandal in the city of Santiago. Four officials were arrested yesterday and placed under investigation in connection with the fraud, as reported in Diario Libre.
The scandal has mainly affected the membership of the ruling PLD, as some of the individuals being implicated are the sons of high-ranking party members. They include Miguel Angel Lazala, Gerald Estevez Cabrera, Adalberto Rosa and Felipe Santiago, the latter who is in charge of Customs in Santiago. Lazala is the son of Petra Canela, the director of the Blackout Reduction Program (PRA) and a provincial PLD leader.
Adalberto Rosa is the son of the PLD deputy-elect of the same name and director of the National Tobacco Institute (INTABACO), who defended his son's conduct.
The most questionable part of this fraud, in the opinion of District Attorney Yenny Berenice Reynoso is that by "this malpractice and criminal activity they were bringing in high caliber weapons and cash". The Justice Department representative said that several businesses are under investigation.
She said that the defendants in the fraud case allegedly received money from companies in order to permit them to pass goods through Customs control points without any supervision.
One of the people detained, Felipe Santiago, said that when he is taken to the Palace of Justice in Santiago he would show that he did not take part in the alleged embezzlement, claiming that the fraud was discovered thanks to his efforts.
During the search carried out yesterday, several items were found, allegedly acquired with the money from the millions taken in the embezzlement. The assets that were confiscated include three SUVs, a plasma television set, weapons and other articles.

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