The Ministry of Foreign Relations confirmed the suspension of Dominican consul general in Puerto Rico Eladio Espinal occurred earlier this month. The decision follows an ongoing investigation into the circumstances whereby the former consul’s son, Edison Espinal Garao, together with two other men, were arrested in late September in possession of 37 kilos of cocaine and heroin worth an estimated US$10 million. The arrest of the three took place on Monday, 26 September, when DEA Special Operations searched an apartment in Residencial Campo Rico, in the Carolina neighborhood of San Juan. The strong smell of pure cocaine is what allegedly alerted the agents, who found the three young men preparing small portions of the drug for future sale.
Vice Consul Jose Fondeur was placed temporarily in charge of the consulate.