A surprise operation, Plan Centella, held to confiscate illegally held weapons caused major traffic upheavals causing around two hour delays in people getting to work on Monday nationwide. OMSA buses and minibuses were allowed to go through, but private vehicles were searched as the Police and military sought to create a psychological effect against crime, the press reported. The operation was such a surprise that news reports say that the Minister of Interior and Police was not aware that it was taking place. The surprise also set the rumor machine working at full speed, and it was said that a coup d’etat was in process, that important businessmen or a son of one had been kidnapped, a major bank assaulted, criminals escaped from La Victoria jail, etc. etc. Minister of the Armed Forces Lieutenant General Jose Miguel Soto said the operation was held to control delinquency. He said others could be held without prior announcement, and apologized for the inconveniences. The military search led to the confiscation of 948 illegally held weapons (478 pistols, 447 revolvers, 23 rifles, and 7 home-manufactured weapons), 1,160 cutting weapons. Eleven persons were arrested. In Bonao, the military found an unoccupied car with weapons inside that supposedly were abandoned by bandits.
