Stolen drug case: Indicted colonel fails to justify assets

Santo Domingo.- The suspended director of the Police Narcotics Diov. (Dican) Col. Carlos Fernández on Monday failed to justify RD$40.9 million invested as a majority shareholder in his company Atlantic Security, and claimed monthly of RD$4.75 million.

However special instruction judge Wendy Martinez ruled that Fernandez’ increase in assets has to be justified as the Money Laundering Law stipulates.

She ruled that the current assets rose after Nov. 30, after the probe into the theft and sale of 950 kilos of cocaine, "without any proof that the origin of the assets is the company."

"The reasonable and serious likelihood that he would be the perpetrator or accomplice of the facts stated above was established," says Martinez’ 44-page ruling.

The ruling notes that while Fernández didn’t take part in the raid, he admits a visit by Dican chief operations officer Lt. Col. Felix H. Paulino, also indicted, as investigators claim.

To prove his innocence Fernandez says he’s willing to go to the gallows and regrets being the target of “many rumors, such as buying an apartment, a luxury vehicle and trips with a showbiz “bombshell."

Company worth a million

Atlantic Security, founded in 2007, has registered capital of more RD$1.0 million, on which Fernández himself wanted to demonstrate his solvency in court, but judge turned the tables and says the Col. could now face another indictment for laundering money.