There is too little information or advances on juridical investigations of the participation of military, police and National Drug Control Agency officers in recent crimes, as revealed in a wrapup of past cases published in El Nacional. The newspaper reports on a series of crimes for which the press has not been able to find evidence that these cases are moving through the judiciary and speculates that “there seems to be an interest in covering up prominent cases.”
Among the cases for which there is no information is that of an assault at a branch of Banco Popular Dominicano. Another case that has seemingly disappeared is the seizing of contraband of 1,000 kilos of cocaine at Haina Port. El Nacional further notes that the case of two pineapple vendors who were murdered near the Mercado Nuevo of Duarte Ave in Villas Agricolas, near Capotillo has not been solved. The vendor was named as Hansel Arias and the pineapple producer was named Freddy Lantigua and is from Cotui.
El Nacional reports that in recent weeks, drug control agents, the Attorney General and the J2 investigations arm of the Army have seized several drug shipments with at least 4,000 kilos at ports, airports, high seas, and roads. Recently, there was a shooting in Maleconcito of Los Mina Norte, reported by Peravia senator Wilton Guerrero as Police officers trying to grab the money stolen from the Banco Popular branch in Ensanche Isabelita, Santo Domingo Este, that dates back to 30 June. In that case, Police Mayor Moisés Montero Amador was killed and Colonel Manuel Antonio Cabrera Sarita, and lieutenant colonels Rafael Tapia Rosario and Félix Peralta Castillo, and sargeant Biojary Antonio Pérez Colón were injured. One of the bank robbers was killed, also.
El Nacional recalls that in the case of the 1,000 kilos seized at the East Haina Port, the cocaine was shipped from Colombia and arrived on San Amerigo boat whose captain Andrzej Kielski and 21 crew members were let go and the same day the ship continues on to its destination in Haiti. In this case, the Attorney General had said that it appeared that five DNCD agents were suspects, as confirmed by the president of the DNCD, Major General Jose Eugenio Matos de la Cruz on 5 December 2018, but no accusations have been made in the case investigated by West Santo Domingo prosecutor, Edward Lopez.
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El Nacional
Noticia Libre
19 December 2018
