United States ambassador Hans Hertell told reporters that the seizure of the 1,387 kilos of cocaine was a “big and important” operation, which will prove a major test for the Dominican justice system. He confirmed that the United States would try to obtain arrest warrants for the people connected to the armed forces and the Police in the case involving Quirino Paulino Castillo. Hertell went so far as to say that “apparently there are other people implicated”, and that “the DNCD (the National Directorate for Drug Control) had been infiltrated by drug traffickers”. The US Embassy also permanently revoked the visas held by Paulino Castillo and his wife, Belkis Elizabeth Ubri and that of Police Lt. Colonel Lidio Arturo Nin Terrero.
Speaking to reporters after his visit to the National Palace, Hertell said that the US had requested the extradition of Paulino Castillo and that the drug bust was the largest drug trafficking operation in the country’s history. He added that he was especially grateful for the cooperation received from the DNCD. Hertell was not without reservations as he met with the reporters, saying that he just “hoped that the political will existed to take the investigation to the ultimate conclusions.