The police sergeant assigned to security at the Las Americas airport who attempted to stop Colonel Pablo Leonel Velasquez Taveras from taking a suitcase full of jewelry through Customs without payment of duties is now under arrest and being held incommunicado. Gerardo Ramirez Vicioso, a National Police sergeant, was asked by Customs inspector Diomaris Almonte to open the suitcase belonging to Velasquez Taveras. After forcefully taking hold of the suitcase, Velasquez Taveras identified himself as a colonel and part of Hipolito Mejia?s security team, according to eye witnesses. Velasquez Taveras then allegedly proceeded to insult everyone in the area in which he was being asked to reveal the contents of his luggage and departed the airport without paying one penny in taxes. Supposedly, there was to be a high-level commission investigation of the case, but nothing has been heard from this group. Family members and fellow workers of the detained sergeant have asked President Mejia to request his release. Apparently this case and other trying working conditions have caused 13 military personnel to go AWOL and 27 others, assigned to the Specialized Airport Security Corps (CESA), to request reassignment. This story appears in today?s La Informacion from Santiago, Diario Libre and Hoy newspapers. The sergeant is accused of indiscipline.