U.S. ratifies its support to the DR in the fight against drug trafficking
The United States ratified its “firm support” for the efforts of the Dominican Republic to confront and stop drug trafficking and related crimes, said the head of the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) for the Caribbean, Denise Foster.
The US official met with the president of the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD), José Cabrera Ulloa, in the framework of strengthening international cooperation to combat drug trafficking, money laundering and transnational crime, specified a note from that body released this Wednesday.
“We ratify our firm support for the efforts of the Dominican Republic and the countries of the region, in these joint actions to confront and stop drug trafficking and its related crimes”, said Foster.
The meeting was held at the DNCD headquarters and was attended by DEA special agent in Puerto Rico, Greg Garza.
Cabrera Ulloa, for his part, highlighted the “decisive” cooperation of the DEA to, he assured, dismantle national and international drug trafficking structures.
He affirmed that his country is committed to continue working, together with allied countries, to face the threats of illicit trafficking in controlled substances.
The information was released hours after the Dominican authorities seized 344 packages of cocaine on Wednesday in a maritime operation near the coast of Peravia (south), bringing the total amount of cocaine seized in April to 6.4 tons.
The operation, carried out by agents of the DNCD, the Dominican Republic Navy, the Air Force and State intelligence agencies, led to the arrest of three men, two Dominicans and one Colombian, who were carrying the drug in a boat.
The 6.4 tons of cocaine seized in April exceeds the total cocaine seized in the first quarter, which amounts to 5.9 tons, according to consolidated figures.
On April 26th, the DNCD reported two other operations in which nearly 1.4 tons of cocaine were confiscated and eight people were arrested, including five Venezuelans, one Colombian and two Dominicans.