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Jose Martín de la Cruz Perez was arrested on a beach near Bani.
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SANTO DOMINGO.- The National Drugs Control Agency (DNCD) said it seized weighing around 255 kilos of cocaine in a beach near Baní (south) early Friday, amid gunfire with one suspect arrested carrying the drugs in an SUV.

The DNCD said its agents seized the 250 packages of the drug shortly after receiving a tip that an unidentified aircraft had airdropped the cocaine, a practice which has now become common..

The detainee Jose Martín de la Cruz Perez, resident of Santo Domingo’s Quisqueya sector, was driving the seized SUV, said DNCD spokesman Roberto Lebrón.

He said after midnight Thursday de la Cruz Perez gathered the drug in Jovero Beach, where several individuals fired on the antinarcotics agents before escaping on a black pickup truck, presumably with an undetermined amount of cocaine.

A 12-gauge Mossberg shotgun was also seized form de la Cruz Perez,  41, among other belongings.

Lebron said the agents are conducting searches in the area of San Cristóbal (South) to arrest the fugitives, which he said could’ve been injured in the shootout.

De la Cruz’s previous arrest was for possession of 12 kilos of cocaine, a case also involving Juan Florián Féliz, alias Juan El Grande; and Benny Ariel Florián, brother and nephew of the convict Rolando Florián Féliz, as well as Nicodemo Silverio de la Cruz, alias Papo; Robert Reynaldo Ascencio, Jovanny Rafael Batista and Joel Féliz Cuevas.

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COMMENTS
10 comment(s)
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Written by: gmiller261, 28 Mar 2008 1:15 PM
From: United States
Excellent work.

This was his second time, I guess 12 kilos was nothing 255 kilos should get him a month in jail.

This is not fair to the DNCD, they are getting shot at. The judges should be put in jail.
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Written by: BLANCO, 28 Mar 2008 1:21 PM
From: Dominican Republic
here we go again. WHO IS ON TOP OF THIS ????? 255 KILOS. WHERE IS THE PLANE?
1 PILOT AND A CARGO DELIVERY MAN. THESE STORIES ARE BECOMING QUITE POPULAR.
us$2,500,000 wholesale. bullets and god know waht else. I hope ther e is follow up
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Written by: UnderCover, 28 Mar 2008 1:42 PM
From: United States
Nothing real is happening here....this is just another typical day for these fly overs in DR.

It's so obvious that someone on the ground knows when it is coming, and where it will land. But the authorities can't touch those people in DR (money talks), and that will always be the problem today & tomorrow in DR.

Can you imagine the ones that got away with out being noticed.
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Written by: JD_Dominguez, 28 Mar 2008 3:01 PM
From: United States
Why was Jose Martín de la Cruz Perez allow out of jail after the first conviction with 12 kilos? The planes & airdrops discovered are only the tip of the iceburg. The RD needs a 3-strike run and also a death penalty to become more strict against career criminals. The RD must weed-out corruption among judges as well as police & DNCD agents. There are drug dealers in my friends barrio of Los Platanitos (Ensanche Caonabo) in Santiago near the Cibao stadium & Children's hospital. The tigres deal drugs on school routes as the supply is stong & constant. These main criminals in the Pichardo drug family have bought police, DNCD Notre office agents and even make political campaign contributions in order to live above the law. So, when known drug dealers like Choppo Pichardo sell drugs near the black waters in this barrio the police will NEVER come to stop him even when he shoots another unarmed boy because the criminals are protected by your favorite political party! Hard to believe.
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Written by: zak325, 28 Mar 2008 3:06 PM
From: United States
The law makers will never allow suspected drug aircraft to shot down, they will say it's too risky, innocent people could be killed (which is true). The real reason is that many politicians have a financial interest in allowing the airdrops to continue.
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Written by: dreadlocks, 29 Mar 2008 8:52 AM
From: United States
JD: what is this talk of a 3 strike rule? how about a 1 strike rule? if you get caught with 12 kilos of cocaine, the second strike should not be a possibility until you are too old to lift 12 kilos!!
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Written by: FragranteDelicto, 29 Mar 2008 4:49 PM
From: United States
Had he been busted on the Mexico-US border, they would have let him go and arrested the drug agents.
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Written by: dreadlocks, 29 Mar 2008 6:08 PM
From: United States
touche, Fragrante!
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Written by: Bizc8, 31 Mar 2008 11:36 AM
From: United States
You know, it's really beyond human understanding how an ex-felon convicted of possession of 12 kilos of cocaine with the intent to distribute was out of jail to begin with.

Notwithstanding, he was now caught with 255 KILOS and the most he'll ever get is probably oh I don't know... 2 weeks after he's done paying off everyone he needs to pay off?

I think the gov't should invest on a super, mega, maximum security prison located in one of our child islands or some other offshore location where they can't escape and implement true life in prison without parole. I'm not too crazy about capital punishment. It's been proven not to deter this kind of illegal activity (or any other for that matter).
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Written by: dreadlocks, 31 Mar 2008 11:44 AM
From: United States
Biz( if i may call you that for economy of writing), i agree with you wholeheartedly.in the USA it is not irregular for major drug traffickers to receive life in the pokey. and though i am not an advocate for capital punishment except for extremely egregious offences, Malaysia has a different take. at the airport reads a sign" if you are caught with drugs, you will be executed" i hardly think that too many visitors to that part of the world end up asking their tour guides" know where i can get some good smoke?"
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