NewsWhore
05-26-2011, 04:00 PM
Authorities at the National Drug Control Department (DNCD) say that drug traffickers have been sourcing fuel for their airplanes by infiltrating the fuel sales distribution system used by crop fumigation planes, as reported in El Caribe.
The new restrictions on fuel sales, nevertheless, is said to be affecting food security. Association of Aerial Fumigation Applicators (APLICA) president Oliverio Espaillat Bencosme recently criticized the new resolutions from the DNCD that require an agent to be present during fuel sales.
"In more than 40 years that we've used aerial fumigators there have been no precedents of our pilots being involved in narco-trafficking, because if they did so we would be the first to expel them in a dishonorable way," he was quoted as saying.
"We are eight companies with 20 aircraft that are dedicated to this difficult work to combat pests and disease for Dominican producers, to ensure food for our people."
DNCD president General Rosado Mateo said the decision was taken to prevent sales to drug traffickers, or smuggling of fuel to Haiti, as has been detected in recent months. In Santiago yesterday, Rosado Mateo met with owners of small planes and pilots who work in crop fumigation in the north, northeast and northwest. Rosado said this fuel is being used by the drug cartels to travel between South America and the DR.
Espaillat had criticized the way that the work of the crop dusters was being hampered because the DNCD agents were late in arriving to their posts for the sale of fuel.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#12)
The new restrictions on fuel sales, nevertheless, is said to be affecting food security. Association of Aerial Fumigation Applicators (APLICA) president Oliverio Espaillat Bencosme recently criticized the new resolutions from the DNCD that require an agent to be present during fuel sales.
"In more than 40 years that we've used aerial fumigators there have been no precedents of our pilots being involved in narco-trafficking, because if they did so we would be the first to expel them in a dishonorable way," he was quoted as saying.
"We are eight companies with 20 aircraft that are dedicated to this difficult work to combat pests and disease for Dominican producers, to ensure food for our people."
DNCD president General Rosado Mateo said the decision was taken to prevent sales to drug traffickers, or smuggling of fuel to Haiti, as has been detected in recent months. In Santiago yesterday, Rosado Mateo met with owners of small planes and pilots who work in crop fumigation in the north, northeast and northwest. Rosado said this fuel is being used by the drug cartels to travel between South America and the DR.
Espaillat had criticized the way that the work of the crop dusters was being hampered because the DNCD agents were late in arriving to their posts for the sale of fuel.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#12)