The Dirección Nacional de Control de Drogas (DNCD) announced the arrest of 37-year old Martires Paulino Castro, who was described as the country’s leading drug dealer. In an operation in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Agency of the US, the local authorities confiscated weapons and money as part of a RD$100 million bust. Paulino was the head of a narcotics gang made up by Dominicans, Colombians and Puerto Ricans. The group was based in the San Pedro de Macorís, in the southeastern coast of the DR. El Siglo newspaper reports that the gang has made 35 cocaine shipments of 600-1,200 kilos each to Puerto Rico/USA. The authorities confiscated RD$4.7 million and US$350,3000 dollars, 32 cars, five trucks, 19 buses, nine houses, six rifles, nine guns and a revolver from Paulino Castro. A partner of his, Carlos Beltre ran, supposedly traveling to Puerto Rico using false documents. Beltré owned 13 buses that operated for the Astrapu union of San Pedro. El Siglo reports that Paulino Castro will be tried in the DR, and then deported to the US where he will also face justice as head of an international drug ring. The announcement of the arrest was made in Santo Domingo by DNCD spokesman Major Jacobo Mateo Moquete, who was accompanied by Major General Manuel Antonio Lachapelle Suero, president of the DNCD and Antonio Mercedes, president of the Consejo Nacional de Drogas.
