NewsWhore
05-08-2008, 03:30 PM
Interviewed on the El Gobierno de la Manana (Z101) radio talk show, Customs Department director Miguel Cocco said that there are good reasons to believe that money confiscated from a Cessna HI831 flying in from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico on 30 April is drug-related because the fact that the money was in low-denomination bills, wrapped in plastic and transported in a suitcase has not been explained. At no time have we tried to cover anything up", said Cocco. As reported in Clave newspaper, he confirmed that the same plane had made other trips to Puerto Rico. Clave says that Civil Aviation Institute certification indicates that the airplane had made nine trips to Puerto Rico in the past five months. There are also reports of non-declared flights.
Cocco explained that Customs reported to the National Drug Control Department on the trips and he said the DNCD is investigating and has the names and telephones of the people who delivered the money and to whom it was supposed to be delivered to here. He said that he believed that the plane's owner Rafael Luciano Corominas, passenger Juan Jose Martin Gomez Guichardo and pilot Luis Miguel Ovalles Tejada should all have been arrested when the money was confiscated on 30 April. However, only Ovalles was arrested because he took responsibility. There has been speculation that Rafael Luciano Corominas is being given privileged treatment because he is the son of a Supreme Court judge, Rafael Luciano Pichardo. Cocco said, however that the father has not covered for his son at any time. Investigations into the case are being carried out by the District Prosecutors.
Ovalles is on record saying that an unnamed individual had handed him the bag with the money that he was supposed to deliver to someone that he was to contact by telephone, and whose name he does not know, according to his statement to the case investigators. His lawyer, Salvador Catrain stated that the pilot does not take responsibility for the illegally transported money, but that he does take responsibility for the flight and the airplane.
Clave newspaper reports that the arrest took place after either the US Drug Enforcement Agency or Judge Luciano's older son, pilot Carlos Enrique Luciano Corominas called in to tip off the authorities about the money smuggling. Clave says that the DEA was watching the airplane and that six months ago it warned of a US$1 million consignment that was aborted when a high-ranking military officer, now stripped of his rank, warned the pilot and met him at the airport, picking him up after arrival. Clave says that sources indicate this was the same Ovalles who was arrested on 30 April.
Clave reports that the Cessna costs around US$200,000, and reveals that Luciano Corominas is the owner of a Porsche, and has taken a RD$12 million bank loan and paid back half. Officially, he works as a civil registry officer in Boca Chica on a salary of RD$35,000 a month.
Clave reports that the District Prosecutors have not shown any concern about the origin of the money. If there is no such interest, the case will end up being resolved with the mere payment of a fine.
Clave said that Luciano Corominas was not available for comment to the press.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#11)
Cocco explained that Customs reported to the National Drug Control Department on the trips and he said the DNCD is investigating and has the names and telephones of the people who delivered the money and to whom it was supposed to be delivered to here. He said that he believed that the plane's owner Rafael Luciano Corominas, passenger Juan Jose Martin Gomez Guichardo and pilot Luis Miguel Ovalles Tejada should all have been arrested when the money was confiscated on 30 April. However, only Ovalles was arrested because he took responsibility. There has been speculation that Rafael Luciano Corominas is being given privileged treatment because he is the son of a Supreme Court judge, Rafael Luciano Pichardo. Cocco said, however that the father has not covered for his son at any time. Investigations into the case are being carried out by the District Prosecutors.
Ovalles is on record saying that an unnamed individual had handed him the bag with the money that he was supposed to deliver to someone that he was to contact by telephone, and whose name he does not know, according to his statement to the case investigators. His lawyer, Salvador Catrain stated that the pilot does not take responsibility for the illegally transported money, but that he does take responsibility for the flight and the airplane.
Clave newspaper reports that the arrest took place after either the US Drug Enforcement Agency or Judge Luciano's older son, pilot Carlos Enrique Luciano Corominas called in to tip off the authorities about the money smuggling. Clave says that the DEA was watching the airplane and that six months ago it warned of a US$1 million consignment that was aborted when a high-ranking military officer, now stripped of his rank, warned the pilot and met him at the airport, picking him up after arrival. Clave says that sources indicate this was the same Ovalles who was arrested on 30 April.
Clave reports that the Cessna costs around US$200,000, and reveals that Luciano Corominas is the owner of a Porsche, and has taken a RD$12 million bank loan and paid back half. Officially, he works as a civil registry officer in Boca Chica on a salary of RD$35,000 a month.
Clave reports that the District Prosecutors have not shown any concern about the origin of the money. If there is no such interest, the case will end up being resolved with the mere payment of a fine.
Clave said that Luciano Corominas was not available for comment to the press.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#11)