DR: Anti-Drug Department Seizes 2,435 Pounds of Marijuana

The Dominican National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD) confirmed Monday the seizure of 2,435 pounds of marijuana during an operation carried out in a dismantled drug trafficking network.

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In a press release, the agency indicated that it identified four of the 10 arrested during several operations as José Andrés Rodríguez Guzmán, Geraldo Gonell Tejada, Angelita Jose Rodriguez and Carolina del Carmen Guzman.

According to official reports, the authorities are keeping the 10 persons under arrest, while searching for others involved in this network, which they have been tracking for several months.

In addition, official data show that the structure, called 'Los Fira,' pretended to have a textile company to move large rolls of cloth, inside which they hid drug packages, to then distribute them in neighborhoods in Santiago and other provinces of the Cibao region.

The tweet reads, "Minister of the Presidency of the DR, Joel Santos informs Joint Task Force occupies 2,435 pounds of marijuana and millionaire assets to drug trafficking and organized crime networks. Highlights reduction of homicide rate in September to 10.10%."

Two nine-millimeter pistols, a shotgun, two cars, a bus, clothes, two digital scales, a vacuum packing machine, cellular phones and 1,487 U.S. dollars were also seized.

Authorities estimate that this shipment is the largest volume seized in the city of Santiago.

The bales of vegetables were sent under chain of custody to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF), while the evidence seized during the raids is in the possession of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Santiago for the corresponding purposes.

On 18 September, members of the Specialized Border Security Corps (Cesfront) seized 390.5 pounds of suspected marijuana in Pedernales.