Deported American, extradited Dominican face charges in New York

Santo Domingo.- An American citizen was deported, and a Dominican extradited to the U.S. to separately face fraud and drug trafficking charges.

The National Drugs Control Agency -DNCD- said Edgar Lawrence, 51, and Israel Frias Hassell, 48, were handed over to four U.S. officers who came to the country via Las Americas International Airport.

It said both men were hiding out in different parts of the country, and captured by special investigators, the American on instructions from the Immigration Agency and the Dominican on a Supreme Court warrant.

"Lawrence is accused of unspecified fraud in the city of New York while Frías is wanted by the New York Supreme Court, Erie County, charged with conspiracy in the second degree, criminal sale of heroin in the first degree and criminal possession of heroin in the first degree," the agency said.