The Chamber of Deputies passed an extradition bill that authorizes the Executive Branch to extradite persons suspect of modern day crimes such as illicit drug dealing and money laundering. The bill had already been approved by the Senate on 8 July. It is now expected to be signed into law by President Leonel Fernández within the next two weeks. The bill also authorizes the extradition of those suspect of murder, kidnapping, violation and abuse of minors, and contraband of historic and archaeological artifacts. The bill establishes that persons extradited can be sentenced only up to a maximum of 30 years in prison, the maximum penalty in Dominican justice that does not admit the death penalty. The U.S. Government had intensely lobbied for the passing of the bill with key U.S. government officials visiting the DR. The US has requested some 30 suspects be extradited to stand trial in the US, most for drug-related charges. Following stronger policing of the Mexican-US route for transshipment of illicit drugs to the US, the DR has been increasingly used by drug dealers who sought refuge in their homeland. The extradition bill modernizes the content of Law 489 of 22 October of 1969. The 1969 law was the technicality that impeded the Executive Branch from extraditing persons suspect of the abovementioned crimes. The Fernández administration has been especially cooperative with the U.S. authority to provide facilities for these to police drug traffickers seeking to use Dominican territory for their operations.
