NewsWhore
10-05-2010, 04:00 PM
The latest arrest of the chief of the Police anti-drug unit in Santiago, in an undercover operation by the DNCD headquarters in Santo Domingo, is new strong evidence of the way in which drug traffickers have a grip on local law enforcement agencies. As reported in Diario Libre, the secretary general of the Volunteers for Public Safety in Santiago (VOCES), Juan Carlos Ortiz attributed the increase in regional drug trafficking to police and military participation in the illicit trade.
Ortiz told reporters that the members of the National Drug Control Department (DNCD) and the National Police should undergo the most thorough investigations and be shown to be the cleanest persons before they enter these institutions.
Nevertheless, he said he felt that the current people in charge at the DNCD were demonstrating that they want to deal with the problem of drug trafficking, not just in Santiago but also all over the country.
The regional director of the National Drug Prevention Council, Domingo de Prats spoke out in favor of eliminating the anti-narcotic unit of the Police to reduce the risk of police agents working in cahoots with drug traffickers.
Veteran presidential drug advisor, lawyer Marino Vinicio Castillo also favors the dissolution of the Police unit. He said he always opposed the creation of the unit that was favored by the Minister of Interior Franklin Almeyda and the former chief of the Police, Major General Rafael Guillermo Guzman Fermin, as reported in El Dia. Castillo said that President Fernandez had given in to requests by Almeyda and Guzman Fermin, despite the fears that have since become reality. He said the scandals exposing the involvement of high-ranking police officers in extortion and trafficking followed shortly after, especially in Santiago, Puerto Plata and Bonao. He said a similar unit had already been dismantled in Santiago in the 1980s for the same reason.
Yesterday, the DNCD arrested Colonel Franklin Raul Peralta, anti-drug commander for the Northern Region, based in Santiago, his assistants and several civilians in the undercover operation. Evidence was gathered to accuse him of using his position to steal from drug traffickers.
El Dia reports that in the past 11 months, some 50 high-ranking officers and agents have been expelled from the National Drug Control Department (DNCD) and the Police for their suspected ties to drug trafficking, narcotics theft and extortion. The most recent case is that of Peralta in Santiago. Others include Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Vargas Urena, chief of the DNCD central division, Major Edwin Herrera Martinez, in charge of operations, Major Victor Liriano Fernandez, and Captains Jose Helena Ramirez and Luis Alfredo Baez with suspected ties to Puerto Rican drug capo Jose David Figueroa Agosto. Also officers Roberto Soto, Juan Ramon Aquino, Aneury Rodriguez and Ernesto Jose Peguero Mota, Lieutenant Arnulfo Encarnacion and agent Moises Bautista.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#7)
Ortiz told reporters that the members of the National Drug Control Department (DNCD) and the National Police should undergo the most thorough investigations and be shown to be the cleanest persons before they enter these institutions.
Nevertheless, he said he felt that the current people in charge at the DNCD were demonstrating that they want to deal with the problem of drug trafficking, not just in Santiago but also all over the country.
The regional director of the National Drug Prevention Council, Domingo de Prats spoke out in favor of eliminating the anti-narcotic unit of the Police to reduce the risk of police agents working in cahoots with drug traffickers.
Veteran presidential drug advisor, lawyer Marino Vinicio Castillo also favors the dissolution of the Police unit. He said he always opposed the creation of the unit that was favored by the Minister of Interior Franklin Almeyda and the former chief of the Police, Major General Rafael Guillermo Guzman Fermin, as reported in El Dia. Castillo said that President Fernandez had given in to requests by Almeyda and Guzman Fermin, despite the fears that have since become reality. He said the scandals exposing the involvement of high-ranking police officers in extortion and trafficking followed shortly after, especially in Santiago, Puerto Plata and Bonao. He said a similar unit had already been dismantled in Santiago in the 1980s for the same reason.
Yesterday, the DNCD arrested Colonel Franklin Raul Peralta, anti-drug commander for the Northern Region, based in Santiago, his assistants and several civilians in the undercover operation. Evidence was gathered to accuse him of using his position to steal from drug traffickers.
El Dia reports that in the past 11 months, some 50 high-ranking officers and agents have been expelled from the National Drug Control Department (DNCD) and the Police for their suspected ties to drug trafficking, narcotics theft and extortion. The most recent case is that of Peralta in Santiago. Others include Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Vargas Urena, chief of the DNCD central division, Major Edwin Herrera Martinez, in charge of operations, Major Victor Liriano Fernandez, and Captains Jose Helena Ramirez and Luis Alfredo Baez with suspected ties to Puerto Rican drug capo Jose David Figueroa Agosto. Also officers Roberto Soto, Juan Ramon Aquino, Aneury Rodriguez and Ernesto Jose Peguero Mota, Lieutenant Arnulfo Encarnacion and agent Moises Bautista.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#7)