Zero tolerance for drug traffickers: Dominican Republic’stop prosecutor

Santo Domingo.- The Justice Minister on Thursday rebuffed criticism on his challenge ofreleasing money laundering convict Sobeida Félix on parole, noting that the waron drug trafficking requires responsible and firm positions from DominicanRepublic’s entire Judiciary and law enforcement.

Francisco Domínguez said the authorities haven’t wavered fromtheir firm positions in serious cases including South American drug cartels, whichhe affirms have managed “benign” convictions.

“A Colombian network is an example of the strongest and mostorganized drug trafficking structures, which was able to operate in the countryby installing technology and a modus operandi unusual for the region, or the verycase of (Jose) Figueroa Agosto, in which we’ve seen sentences from rulings weakhanded down against its members."

He said many thefts and burglaries are directly linked todrug trafficking. "The scourge of drugs destroys our young people, restrictingour peace so no tolerance is possible with those who kill and end up corruptingthe depths of our institutions and eating our society."

"I’ve said it many times, the all-pervasive drugtrafficking manages to infiltrate all levels by bribing, extorting, threateningand even making use of blackmail. They have no mercy whatsoever and we cannot allowor should be indifferent to their actions and sit idly by."