NewsWhore
03-01-2012, 01:10 PM
Puerto Rican journalist Limarys Suarez Torres, who reported earlier this week on the use of the Dominican Republic by major drug traffickers from Puerto Rico taking advantage of weak judiciary, has interviewed Marco Irizarry, formerly a celebrity in Puerto Rico, who served a long prison term in the Dominican Republic. In his previous life, Irizarry was a socialite, married to a television star, Laura Hernandez. However, there was a darker side, according to Suarez Torres, because Irizarry was a major cocaine trafficker, using luxury yachts to transport drugs.
In 2002 Irizarry and a group of friends and associates were arrested in Santo Domingo with 70 kilos of cocaine on board a yacht, Lady Liz. The group was tried and convicted. Hernandez was released in 2005. Another six people were also convicted and two of them, Edwin Adams Coto and Arod Levi III, died in a horrible prison fire in Higuey in 2005.
Irizarry, who is now out on conditional release, cannot leave the Dominican Republic until he finishes his probation. He works with prisoners, works out in a gym and has become a Christian, according to his statements to the reporter. He said that the worst thing about being in prison was the distance from one's family. "It is not about food or clothing, because there comes a time when you don't want to eat or bathe and depression overcomes you." Irizarry said that the legal system and the jails were "difficult" and that prisoners have to get their own food and medicines.
The reporter accompanied Irizarry to the Najayo Men's Prison and saw it for herself. She reported that rich inmates like major drug traffickers and corrupt bankers lived like kings inside the jail, with private cells and air conditioning, television and cell phones. She saw how the guards served them like butlers. Irizarry commented: "If you have money, life in jail is a little less harsh."
www.elnuevodia.com/lecciondelajusticiadominicana-1201528.html (http://www.elnuevodia.com/lecciondelajusticiadominicana-1201528.html)
http://www.elnuevodia.com/losnarcotraficantesnosestanusando-1199758.html
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#13)
In 2002 Irizarry and a group of friends and associates were arrested in Santo Domingo with 70 kilos of cocaine on board a yacht, Lady Liz. The group was tried and convicted. Hernandez was released in 2005. Another six people were also convicted and two of them, Edwin Adams Coto and Arod Levi III, died in a horrible prison fire in Higuey in 2005.
Irizarry, who is now out on conditional release, cannot leave the Dominican Republic until he finishes his probation. He works with prisoners, works out in a gym and has become a Christian, according to his statements to the reporter. He said that the worst thing about being in prison was the distance from one's family. "It is not about food or clothing, because there comes a time when you don't want to eat or bathe and depression overcomes you." Irizarry said that the legal system and the jails were "difficult" and that prisoners have to get their own food and medicines.
The reporter accompanied Irizarry to the Najayo Men's Prison and saw it for herself. She reported that rich inmates like major drug traffickers and corrupt bankers lived like kings inside the jail, with private cells and air conditioning, television and cell phones. She saw how the guards served them like butlers. Irizarry commented: "If you have money, life in jail is a little less harsh."
www.elnuevodia.com/lecciondelajusticiadominicana-1201528.html (http://www.elnuevodia.com/lecciondelajusticiadominicana-1201528.html)
http://www.elnuevodia.com/losnarcotraficantesnosestanusando-1199758.html
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#13)