Santo Domingo.- In 2007 the Government authorized Jose Figueroa Agosto’s (aka Felipe Rodriguez de la Rosa) deportation, according to Rafael Núñez in his book “Figueroa Agosto: the power of the narco.”.

It says on November 16, 2007, president Leonel Fernandez signed off on Figueroa’s deportation while the first efforts to arrest him were being conducted by Army colonel Mélido Marte de Barrios, then head of the National Drugs Control Agency’s Special Investigations Department.

Núñez says that on November 8, 2007, the memo DIE 300-2007 was sent to then DNCD president Rafael Ramirez Ferreira, who contained the arrest warrant and deportation order. The request via memo 1635 was sent to then Executive Branch Legal adviser Cesar Pina on November 16, 2007.

According to the 151 page book the bureaucratic procedure needed to complete the deportation proceeding was ready in just 12 days.

However, and although that part isn’t contained in the book, it was learned that United States Embassy diplomatic authorities intervened to prevent the execution of the deportation.

It says the authorities knew of Figueroa’s drug distribution in the National District, greater Santo Domingo and the East region in conspiracy with senior military and police commanders, the book affirms that Figueroa was known as the “Sea Wolf” for his skill in gathering the drug airdropped from planes on the high seas.

Núñez, based on official documents on the probe into the first arrest in 2001, the deportation process approved, the convictions in Puerto Rico and several DNCD memos, also affirms that Figueroa bought some military and police commanders with narcotics trafficking money, making it easier to ship drugs to Puerto Rico.

Anomalous and strange

The author describes as an “anomalous and strange” (thing) that the Drugs Control Agency didn’t clearly establish the investigation’s objective, when Figueroa was arrested and released in 2001, together with a group which included the now fugitive Leavy Yadira Nin Batista.

Source: elnacional.com.do