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Sometimes illegal connections, others outright theft of cables.
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Santo Domingo.- The lucrative copper export business moves in an "underworld" where, in addition to street crimes, sustains drug trafficking in the poor barrios.

Barrio drug addicts and thugs barter copper for drug fixes, and in some cases for food. The growth posted in that metal’s marketing in the barrios was such that in 2006 it often competed with substances such as cocaine, marijuana and crack.

The newspaper Diario Libre reports today that in the National District, in Santo Domingo, Santiago, San Cristóbal and adjacent provinces, as well as some parts of the East region, is where most thefts of plaques, statues, manhole covers and even traffic lights have taken place.

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COMMENTS
5 comment(s)
Written by: J, 13 Apr 2007 9:55 AM
From: Washington, DC
This is an BIG ongoing problem in Santiago poor barrios SIMON BOLIVAR & LOS PLATANITOS (ENSANCHE CAONABO) near the Cibao Stadium were poor citizens have to replace home wiring connections many times to get electricity & lights. These barrio gangs make BIG drug & crime profits as the career criminal & leader "CHOPO" also supply drugs & firearms to other barrios. The gang stays out of jail by paying bribes to police & the former DNCD chief in Santiago. But President LF promised peace!
Written by: sally, 13 Apr 2007 4:17 PM
From: spm
To live and die In Washington DC
Despite the recent uptick in violence, the 95 homicides recorded in the city so far this year is only one more than the total committed by this date in 2005. But the number of robberies is up 14 percent, and Ramsey and other commanders are concerned that more holdups will turn deadly.
Written by: Dixie Normus, 14 Apr 2007 7:41 AM
From: Santo Domingo
If the gov't. wants to stop the theft of copper and aluminum wire, all they have to do is eliminate the market.
Pass a law prohibiting the export of copper and aluminum, and the problem will go away.
Only a few profit from this enterprise.
I wouldn't be surprised if they are gov't., military, or police officials.
Written by: Joop, 16 Apr 2007 8:25 PM
From: SPM
It is even easier to solve the problem

just get rid of the stupid taxes that affect the poor so much and make it almost unable for them to get a decent meal without stealing (from them who stole first)


Written by: Thelmo Almeyda Rancier, 17 Apr 2007 10:50 PM
From: Bogota N.J,.USA
Dixie Normus: I agree with you 100% in addition you left out
the corropted gvt, agencies that look the other way, or are looking for kick back on the export of such thing as expensive
as copper & aluminum wires.
My concept of present Dominicans has changed in all the years i have been away from the country. True we had a dictator when i left but never did you see these happened.
Althought plenty of all these bad habbits were imported from the cities they had visited in the USA.

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