A court in Pedernales has sentenced two men to five years in prison for the illegal transportation of Haitian migrants. This is news because in the past, people smuggling was given misdemeanor treatment by law enforcement agencies, including the judiciary.
The Public Ministry, represented by prosecutors Carmen Virginia Felipe de la Rosa and Eleuterio Cuevas, under the coordination of chief prosecutor Dervio Heredia, successfully proved the criminal liability of José Manuel Pérez Rodríguez and Yeison López for the charges brought against them.
During the hearing, the prosecution presented evidence to the court demonstrating that both defendants had violated Article 2 of Law 137-03, which penalizes human trafficking and smuggling, to the detriment of the Dominican state.
Rodríguez and López were apprehended during a search conducted by members of the Specialized Corps for Border Security (Cesfront) while traveling towards Barahona in a truck. Four Haitian citizens were found hidden among bales of clothing within the vehicle.
The convicted individuals will serve their sentences at the Pedernales public prison.
Since October 2024, the military at the border with Haiti have carried out several arrests of people smugglers. Nevertheless, public hospitals continue to report a large number of new arrivals of Haitian women seeking free birthing services. In most border hospitals, Haitians make up more than half of the births, in response to the collapse of hospital services in Haiti. The children are registered with the names chosen by their parents, as most of these do not present any legal documentation. Most people in Haiti do not have legal documentation.
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Diario Libre
4 December 2024