Routes for smuggling Haitians

[NewsWhore]

The authorities have detected six "very active" routes used for smuggling Haitians into the DR, as reported in El Dia. These operate primarily in the northwest, mainly in the provinces of Dajabon, Montecristi, Santiago Rodriguez and Valverde. The presence of Haitians in Santiago, the largest city in the center of the country is so prevalent that some neighborhood associations have decided to unilaterally expel them from the area, saying that the Haitians live in insanitary conditions, pollute the rivers and gullies and are suspect to be involved in crime. The security organization reports do not mention the complicity of armed forces members in the illegal immigration, but El Dia comments that every day there are reports of alleged tolls that are imposed on the routes by members of the same Specialized Border Corps (Cesfront) whose task is to control illegal immigration, and by intelligence divisions of the Armed Forces and the Army itself. These claims are repeatedly made by Catholic priest Regino Martinez.

According to the authorities, the preferred routes are

Dajabon-Montecristi-Santiago

Copei-Guayubiin-Mao-Santiago

Dajabon-Santiago Rodriguez-Mao-Santiago

Loma de Cabrera-El Pino-Mao-Santiago

Santiago Rodriguez-Moncion-San Jose de las Matas-Santiago

The people smugglers or "coyotes" use the services of buses that take passengers from the four northeastern provinces to Santiago.

The report says that most of the illegal immigrants are located in rural areas in the Cibao region, where they are employed in farm work.

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