Trafficking in undocumented Haitians seeking work in the Dominican Republic is a profitable business for many. The trafficking goes on all year round, while authorities step up the controls every January at the border area when thousands of Haitians that had returned to their home country for the Christmas holidays, make the trek back to the Dominican Republic where they make a living.
An unnamed former military told El Dia reporters that the Haitians will pay RD$5,000 to the smugglers for the trip to the central city of Santiago from the border. He said in Dajabón he counts around 60 other persons dedicated to the Haitian smuggling business.
The military said he works full time now on smuggling in people after he was cancelled from his job in the military in 2011. He said he has smuggled in Haitians whose final destination is Santo Domingo, Bavaro, Puerto Plata, Samana, but mostly works transporting the undocumented immigrants to Santiago. He said the effort is possible with the complicity of Dominican military. Military are posted at 16 road checkpoints leading from the border.
He explained those who want to make the trip are concentrated in transfer houses near Dajabón, especially in communities such as Las Matas de Santa Cruz, Gozuela and Santa Maria in Montecristi province and then transferred from there to the cities by the traffickers.
Meanwhile, Diario Libre reported that in the first 13 days of January, more than 14,000 Haitians were stopped at the border. Father Regino Martínez of the Jesuit Order, complained about the smuggling business. He said that while the Specialized Border Security Corps (Cesfront) stopped 14,402 from passing, another 15,000 are let through. He said controls at the border are corrupt and selective. Cesfront reported on Saturday, 13 January detaining 622 Haitians that attempted illegal crossing.
Read more in Spanish:
El Dia
Diario Libre
15 January 2018
