SANTO DOMINGO.- Dominican border authorities arrested three Haitian criminals, said to belong to a ring of hired gunmen, when they tried to enter the country using forged documents.

The Haitians, who were immediately handed over to Haitian authorities, are members of a ring which includes Colombians, Iranians, Indians and Cubans, who’ve been arrested trying to enter national territory, after having escaped from the penitentiary at Port-au-Prince amid the January 12 quake.

Haitian authorities provided a list to their Dominican pars with the names, photos and finger prints of hundreds of fugitives of Haiti justice of other nationalities among them, who escaped the correctional facility when it collapsed.

“We have nabbed a few. We first arrested two Colombians and an Iranian. Later four. Then seven. A Hindu (Indian) was arrested and returned; two Cubans and by all means Haitians,” said Immigration director Sigfrido Pared.

He said three Haitians who escaped from the penitentiary tried to enter Dominican territory last week were arrested and immediately handed over to the neighboring nation’s authorities.

He said all three escapees (Mondesir Rodny, Vinol Wilvints and Prophete Elisse) were later gunned down in Gonaives in an apparent gangland vengeance.

Since the quake more Dominican agents have been deployed at the border, to guard against the attempted crossing of more than 2,000 inmates who escaped Haiti jails.