Hoy investigates drug scene in Santo Domingo
A couple of hard-working journalists in the Dominican Republic have taken a close look at the drug trade in Santo Domingo. What they found was not surprising -- police on the take from drug dealers. What was revealing was the extent of the corruption. (Even in a country seen by most independent observers as one of the most corrupt in the Western Hemisphere.)
The following summary is from DR1.com, an English-language news sumamry service. At the end of the summary is a link to the original story.
Narcs pay "tolls" to operate
Investigative reporters Minerva Isa and Eladio Pichardo continue their in-depth
look at the drug business in some of Santo Domingo's poorest barrios. Their
most recent report looks at how small-time narcotics dealers - 'narcos'- pay
local law enforcement personnel a fee to operate in a given area. According to
the article in today's Hoy, Isa and Pichardo say that although many citizens do
not know for certain, they suspect that it is impossible for the
"micro-traffic" of drugs to expand in such spectacular way without
assistance from someone watching over the business. In the barrios, everyone
knows about the collusion that goes on between police and drug enforcement
agents who get their 'cuts' in return for enabling business to continue.
Community representatives and religious leaders are also aware of this and have
complained about the situation on many occasions. Low salaries are a major
contributing factor, they say.
According to the reporters, the collusion is possible thanks to the existence
to criminals that are 'hooked up' to police or police turned criminals. This is
in evidence when someone complains about one of the
"micro-traffickers" to the National Drug Control Department (DNCD)
and the criminal gets tipped off, because when there is a dragnet for such
criminals they are never anywhere to be seen. The complicity is also reflected
in the amount of drugs that is said to be confiscated, always less than the
real amount, and the excess is sent back into the system. For the complete
story go to:
www.hoy.com.do/el-pais/2008/7/23/240846/Los-narcos-pagan-peajes-para-facilitar-microtrafico