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Customs chief: If you did the crime, do the time

Santiago. - Four Customs employees and an unspecified number of businesspersons in Santiago are under arrest and being questioned today by  in connection with a fraud of more than RD$100 million, and for alleged bribes paid to dodge import taxes.

Santiago prosecutor Yeni Berenice Reinoso didn’t reveal the businesspersons’ names.

Santiago Felipe, Customs collector in Cibao International Airport; Adalberto Rosa, son of the ruling PLD party deputy elect and current director of the National Tobacco Institute, of the same name; Miguel Angel Lazala and Gérard Estévez Cabrera were notified by the Office of the Prosecutor to be questioned today, after several searches by Customs inspectors, the Justice Ministry and the Police.

Lazala is the son of Petra Canela, director of the Blackoutw Reduction Program and a senior member of the PLD, whereas Moronta was campaign chief for the Senator elect and Chamber of Deputies president Julio César Valentín.

Other sons of PLD leaders in Santiago are reportedly involved, but news source elnacional.com.do reports that the information wasn’t confirmed.

Searches were carried out in the sectors Los Hidalgos, Vista Linda, Las Colinas and La Moraleja, Reynoso said, adding that others will continue in different parts of the country today.

SHIPPING COMPANIES RAIDED

New source hoy.com.do reports that the offices of the companies Papo Shipping and Salcedo Shipping were searched and merchandise including weapons have been seized.

Customs director Rafael Camilo on Tuesday said the fraud consisted in dispatching merchandise without verifying in exchange for “strong sums” of money and warned those responsible that “if you did the crime, do the time.”

 

He said another shipping company, Now Logistic, was also searched, whereas José Ignacio Zapata, president of the consolidator Papo Shipping, has also been detained. 

 

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COMMENTS
12 comment(s)
Written by: Blutarsky This user is banned, 27 Jul 2010 2:13 PM
From: Dominican Republic, No Spin Zone
Is this drug related ????
Written by: Atabey, 27 Jul 2010 2:23 PM
From: United States, NYC
Import taxes. The DR State has finally begun to act like a modern State and the ones playing for it will be everyone in DR. That includes the domestic businesspeople so long accustomed to using bribes to get their merchandise into the country on the cheap. While it will show up in the final prices for consumers, IMF requirements and other world institutions, the World Bank, etc., have called on the DR state to get active and control this outlaw state of being. If bills have to be paid, remember the loans, then taxes must be collected. No one likes to pay taxes. But Blut, you may be on to something with the drugs.
Written by: guillermone, 27 Jul 2010 2:41 PM
From: United States
No this is not about drugs, I doubt it very much and can almost assure you that it is not. I believe had it been drug related these agents and business people would have had immediate immunity or some heads would have been chopped or blown off. Just look at the amount of money involved $100 million pesos that is about $2.7 million US Dollars. Yes absolutely a significant amount, but a mere pittance compared to the highly profitable illegal drug trade.

I believe this is just a simple case of a bunch of business people that for profit attempted to circumvent the system. Nothing strange or unusual about that, it happens everyday and all the time in the DR, It is business as usual, in fact it is happening right now while I write this post. The only difference is that these folks got caught, probably became too overconfident and greedy.
Greed kills the cat.
Written by: guillermone, 27 Jul 2010 2:47 PM
From: United States
The state prosecutor for Santiago, Yeni Berenice Reinoso is kind of cute, but in a strange sort of way. She has a pretty, but weird looking face. Sorry, but I had to through that in, I could not help my self.
Written by: El_Platano, 27 Jul 2010 2:52 PM
From: United States, Yonkers, NY
Looks like the fiscal is on the ball and takes her job seriously. If she ever needs a bodyguard.............
Written by: THINK, 27 Jul 2010 4:06 PM
From: United States, SDQ -- Mia --NY


DR is charging too much of the importation taxes, there is no reasons to charge so high of the importation taxes, because the final cost will be levied to ordinary Dominicans, and the so overcharged taxes will be used by Lie-onel's corruption department.

I really think Lie-onel should hire a reputable , honesty, knowledgeable Economist to help him diagnosis the economy problems.
Written by: Lopez31, 27 Jul 2010 4:11 PM
From: United States
Looks like someone didn't get their cut of the 100M pie. Who done drop the ball here? who?
Written by: dreadlocks, 27 Jul 2010 8:57 PM
From: United States
THINK, there is no need for any reputable economist to diagnose the problems. they are elementary. you need an economist when the problems are complex.
Written by: Blutarsky This user is banned, 27 Jul 2010 11:12 PM
From: Dominican Republic, No Spin Zone
Dread bring out your " Magic 8 Ball "
Written by: dreadlocks, 27 Jul 2010 11:35 PM
From: United States
that probably makes 200 times you have used that line. time to upgrade, it is 2010.
Written by: gmiller261, 28 Jul 2010 7:36 AM
From: United States

Another day in the life of pathologically corrupt Dominicans.

Failed state. No one to teach morals. What a sewer.

It is not as though any of the 'connected' people will do jail time, only the poor slob at the bottom.



Written by: WalterPolo, 28 Jul 2010 11:36 AM
From: Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata
This operation mulls on greed and laziness. Anyone with proper connections could get a container out of Santiago for a flat rate, avoiding inspections ('ombe que caloi) and payment of duties. Made everybody happy.

Only now, the government is so hungry they're even stompin' and bashin' their own.

At any event, the gov't will keep the money and seize the goods, and everybody will be out by Christmas.

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