This morning’s Listin Diario publishes a front page photograph of Bladimir Garcia Jimenez, recently jailed in New York for drug smuggling links to the Quirino Paulino Castillo case (arrested for the possession of 1,387 kilos of cocaine in the DR), apparently making a toast while sitting at a table next to former President Hipolito Mejia. Garcia Jimenez was granted a lucrative construction contract, financed by US Eximbank, for multi-sport installations during the Mejia administration. He was arrested in New York and is scheduled to appear in court once the case reopens on 6 September.<\/p>\n
Lawyer Marino Vinicio (Vincho) Castillo told the newspaper that he has authentic documents that link former presidential supervisor of public works Hernani Salazar (the current senator for Duarte province) with violations of Law 72-02 on asset laundering. The lawyer says he will prove in court that Hernani Salazar, his assistant Jose (Nino) Lopez, former colonel Pedro Julio (Pepe) Goico and former army captain Quirino Paulino Castillo were involved in asset laundering. He also says he will prove in court that they violated Law 72-02 with the transfer of ownership of a Colibri helicopter (Eurocopter, model EC120B, No. 1284, registration N750PG) in December 2003. Castillo says that Salazar used his aide, Nino Lopez who he says paid US$600,000 for the helicopter.<\/p>\n
Salazar responded by challenging Castillo to present the evidence in court. A court hearing is scheduled for today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This morning’s Listin Diario publishes a front page photograph of Bladimir Garcia Jimenez, recently jailed in New York for drug smuggling links to the Quirino Paulino Castillo case (arrested for the possession of 1,387 kilos of cocaine in the DR), apparently making a toast while sitting at a table next to former President Hipolito Mejia. … <\/p>\n