The National Institute for the Protection of Consumer Rights (Pro Consumidor) and another smaller agency, the Specialized Corps for the Control of Fuels and Commerce (CECCOM), have launched a nationwide operation to inspect places that sell alcoholic beverages, as reported in El Caribe.
The idea? To prevent the sale of illegal, adulterated, or contraband alcohol during the mega-Dominican holiday known as Holy Week, a time when the beaches and recreational areas are truly flooded with revelers enjoying a very long break in school or work.
This year, Semana Santa, or Holy Week/Easter Week, starts on Palm Sunday, 29 March, and goes through Easter Sunday, 5 April 2026.
The people from Pro Consumidor will be on the lookout for alcoholic beverages that produced somewhat like moonshine in the Appalachian regions of the United States, in hidden stills or mixing barrels where illegal substances can be added to the product. Every year there have been multiple deaths from ingesting these brews, and many occur during Easter Week due to the massive demand for alcohol and the recreational ambiance that prevails throughout.
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El Caribe
23 March 2026