It was not the military or regular police force, but rather the director of the Metropolitan Transport Authority, Major General Pedro de Jesus Candelier, who headed an operation yesterday in which several currency exchange houses in the Los Mina area of Santo Domingo were closed down for allegedly operating illegally. Candelier, who formerly headed the national police force, is known for his tough approach, and his presence in this clampdown is significant in that it denotes the government’s intention to send a clear message to the populace that the authorities mean business. While representatives of the Direccion General de Impuestos Internos (the government tax department) took part in the operation, along with members of the army and banking superintendence, according to Hoy newspaper, the manoeuvre did not have the correct authorization from the banking superintendence. The businesses were closed on grounds they had not paid their ITBIS (value-added tax), nor had they presented receipts to the tax authorities. No one was arrested, but the assets of the businesses would be held by the authorities “until their situation was regularized.” Candelier told the press that yesterday’s action was the first step in a campaign aimed at “targeting the people and the exchange houses operating on the margins of the law.” The initiative comes just two days after President Mejia formed a special army unit to halt the peso’s devaluation. The dollar rate dropped yesterday to RD$38.