DR: 348 People Arrested for Environmental Crimes

February 20, 2024 Hour: 7:33 pm

On Monday, the National Environmental Protection Service (Senpard) arrested and handed over to the Public Prosecutor’s Office 348 individuals for violations of Dominican environmental laws last January.

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The offenders were arrested in 953 operations carried out that month throughout the country, while 146 motor vehicles were seized, including backhoes, shovels, dump trucks, trucks and motorcycles.

Senpa indicated that the operations and patrols will continue with the purpose of investigating, arresting and submitting to the competent authority those natural or legal persons who violate environmental laws, in order to guarantee the sustainability of natural resources.

The director of Senpa, Navy Captain René Rodríguez Álvarez, reminded the citizens that the responsibility of caring for the environment belongs to everyone and urged them to support the fight against crimes that damage the environment.

El Servicio Nacional de Protección Ambiental (@senpard ) arrestó y puso a disposición del Ministerio Público a 348 personas por violaciones a las leyes ambientales durante el mes de enero de 2024.https://t.co/5u6pwCAoQV

— Ministerio de Medio Ambiente RD (@AmbienteRD)
February 19, 2024

The tweet reads, “The National Environmental Protection Service (senpard) arrested and placed 348 people at the disposal of the Public Prosecutor’s Office for violations of environmental laws during the month of January 2024.”

According to information provided by the Directorate of Operations of this entity, 52 people were detained in Los Haitises National Park alone in January, while the province of Santiago de los Caballeros had the highest number of vehicles detained (32 in total).

Los Haitises is located in the province of Samaná (including part of Samaná Bay) and is completed in the provinces of Monte Plata and Hato Mayor.

It has been part of the country’s system of protected areas since 1976 and has one of the largest samples of Caribbean mangroves and one of the richest reserves of these plant formations on the planet.