The National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) reports the arrest of Luis Eduardo (El Peque\u00f1o) Vel\u00e1squez Cordero on 28 July 2020 for his ties to the Cesar Emilio Peralta (Cesar el Abusador) criminal organization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cordero is accused of being the second in command and playing a key role in laundering about US$260 million for local and international drug rings. The money was invested in real estate (condominiums, villas, farms, houses) and another US$15 million in luxury vehicles (Ferrari, Porsche, McLaren, Bentley, Range Rover).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The laundered money was then delivered to drug traffickers in Colombia, Venezuela, Europe, the United States and Mexico with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel. According to the investigations, Vel\u00e1squez served as a middle man for the cocaine shipments payment and also participated directly in receiving cocaine from South America for shipment to the US and Europe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The DNCD says the investigations are ongoing to locate the whereabouts of other members of the criminal organization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cesar Emilio Peralta was arrested in Colombia in December 2019 where he awaits extradition to the United States. He left the Dominican Republic after the US issued the Kingpin Act accusing him of being the head of a major drug trafficking organization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Around 30 have been arrested in this case. The media reports the most recent arrests were those of Natanael Castro Cordero, Kelvin Enrique Fern\u00e1ndez Flaquer (Cotto), Rhinel Rafael (Fido) Rodr\u00edguez de la Cruz (Fido), and Luis Eduardo Vel\u00e1zquez Cordero (El Peque\u00f1o or El Enano). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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DNCD\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Vigilante Informativo<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n US Embassy<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n