Less than 24 hours after the United States requested the Supreme Court of the Dominican Republic to issue arrest warrants for 23 wanted criminals and the seizure of their assets, the Attorney General announced that his office was preparing the paperwork of another 15 people wanted by the United States justice system. The latest 15 are wanted on international drug trafficking and murder charges. The new cases will be sent to the Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court in order for that court to make the final decision as to whether or not the arrest warrants are justified. A source close to the issues told Hoy newspaper that these cases are not new ones, but rather old ones that were already amongst the files of the Extradition Department at the Attorney General’s office in Santo Domingo.
The request made by the United States sets a precedent in these proceedings. It is the first time that such a request is presented by a Dominican lawyer working at the US Embassy, Analdis del Carmen Alcantara Abreu. Previously, Assistant Attorney General Gisela Gueto had promised the high court that she would send the court all of the case files pertaining to pending extraditions, even if the actual cases were processed under the old criminal codes. The Attorney General’s office is also working on a series of extradition requests that have been filed by Germany, Italy and other European countries for citizens that have committed crimes and then fled the country to escape prosecution. Many of these people are residing in tourist areas posing as honorable citizens.