An official source of Public ministry revealed to Diario Libre that the raids carried out this Thursday in several provinces of the country are related to a case that occurred in August 2020, when $2,174,750 was seized during an operation carried out in the Port of Haina Oriental.
On August 25, 2020, the General Directorate of Customs (DGA) reported that, in coordination with the Public ministry and to the National Directorate for Drug Control (DNCD), the sum of 2 million 174 thousand 750 dollars, equivalent to more than RD$ 126 million pesos, was seized during an operation carried out in the port of Haina Oriental.
“The dollars were camouflaged in three sound speakers. The discovery took place in the Port of Haina Oriental in shipment number SMLU6222327A, which arrived in the country on August 20 (2020), transported by the company SEADOM SAS, from the port of Brooklyn, New York, United States, on board of the Bomar Caen vessel, voyage number 005,” Customs said at the time.
The entity also reported that the money was entered into the Dominican Republic in three speakers sent by three people with different addresses.
On that occasion, the general director of Customs, Eduardo Sanz Lovatón (Yayo), warned that the entity, together with the competent agencies, would deepen the investigations to the last consequences, so that those responsible are brought to justice.
A week later (September 1, 2020), the DGA reported that it seized US$2,174,340 equivalent to RD$127,204,155 (as calculated at the time) also in the port of Haina Oriental.
In the second seizure, they also used the same methodology to send the money, since “it was brought to Dominican territory in two sound speakers from Brooklyn County, in New York, United States.”
“The dollars, almost all of them in ballots of 20 and some of 50, were transported by a shipping company called courier and came camouflaged inside two sound speakers, surrounded with pillows to prevent their movement and to be declared belongings. of the home,” he said.
In that week, the Customs Directorate seized $4,349,090 dollars that were sent under the same method and from the same origin from Brooklyn, in the United States.
Prosecutors and agents of the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD) perform this Thursday morning several raids in different points of Santiago.
The intervention was carried out at Único Car Wash, located on Rafael Vidal street, as well as at several establishments in the Hoya del Caimito sector.
Several high-end vehicles were seized at the car wash.
The operation is carried out simultaneously in several provinces nationwide.