Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.- The Tourism Police (Politur) conducted surprise nighttime searches over the weekend in the Bavaro tourism zone, looking for hoodlums and guns, to curtail street crime in the area.

Politur’s Bavaro chief colonel Johnny Vásquez said more than 100 agents were deployed in the streets and sectors of the country’s biggest resort zone, searching vehicles, motorcycles and suspicious people, who were detained on the spot if any irregularity was detected.

He said more than a dozen people were detained, knives and guns with irregular permits were seized, as well as vehicles with altered or forged documents.

Vásquez said the Tourism Police patrols the sectors Mata Mosquito, El Cortecito, Verón, Friusa, and most of the entrances to beach zones and hotel resorts.