Santo Domingo.- Drug trafficking has seeped the echelons of the very people assigned to fight it, with more than 5,000 military, Police and Antinarcotics (DNCD) agents charged, penalized or expelled in the last three years.

Data from press notes compiled by newspaper Listin reveal that a considerable part of those charged are being in different jails and have await  judicial processes, including six senior officers whom were the antinarcotics unit commanders in Santiago, Montecristi, San Francisco, El Seibo, La Romana and Santo Domingo.

With Wednesday’s arrest of major Miguel Rodriguez, Police Antinarcotics Unit commander in San Francisco (northeast) when he transported a contraband of 400 kilograms of cocaine, together with several alleged drug traffickers, including Colombians, the number of senior and non commissioned officers expelled and indicted for drug trafficking now totals 34 so far this year.

Most of those expelled have been members of the DNCD, with around 185 officials, master sergeants, corporals and civilians.

“Many have been separated for negligence or cover-ups in the airports and regions of the entire country, and charged in the cases where the evidence merited,” said DNCD spokesman Alcides Rodriguez.

The official clarified what’s important is not the number of DNCD officials or agents fired or arrested for those crimes, but the firm will and the cleanup taking place. “That shows that the DNCD works and even enforces the law against its own members regardless of their rank or position.”

Among the antinarcotics unit commanders arrested and indicted figure the lieutenant colonels Franklyn Peralta, of Santiago; Edwin Herrera Martinez, of Santo Domingo; Jorge Luis Peña, La Romana and the lieutenant Jose Polanco Jiménez, of Montecristi.

Moreover the divisions of Nagua, Hato  Mayor, San Cristóbal and Puerto Plata were also removed.

The previous police chief Rafael Guzmán had fired more than 1,200 agents, including several officers.

For the same date then Dominican Air Force Chief of Staff Carlos Altuna Tezanos announced the dishonorable discharge of 600 members for crimes, mostly drug trafficking, a figure later raised to 1,100, while more than a dozen Navy officers were arrested  and are being tried for the murders in Paya, Bani two years ago.

Navy Chief of staff Homero Lajara has fired around 400 members and pledge to continue the purge.

Lately it’s usual for headlines to read: “Two DNCD agents arrested with drugs or for airdrops; Officials le pass 1,000 kilos towards Miami, Airport agents detained with cocaine.”

Despite the large number of military and police linked to drug trafficking, the Police, DNCD, Army, Air Force and the Navy do arrest officers of all ranks and agents linked to organized crime.