Haiti - Dominican Republic : Seizure of 12 tons of garlic smuggled from Haiti
Monday the Dominican Ministry of Defense stated that the military intelligence service, seized during a raid on the stretch of road San Cristobal-Bani, a shipment of 1,204 bags of contraband garlic coming from Haiti, estimated at 12 tons that were hidden in the compartments of a Mack cement Silo Truck.
According to intelligence, José Alberto de la Cruz Parede, the truck driver, gave a false cargo manifest that showed it was carrying 32 tonnes of cement at the destination of the Ministry of Public Works (MOPC). After being questioned by members of the Intelligence Directorate of the Joint Staff (J-2), he was jailed and made available to the prosecutor Constantino Beltre Sánchez, of the judicial district of Peravia.
Explaining the procedure used by smugglers, Ministry officials reported that the contraband was coming from Haiti, transported to Pedernales by sea, involving 10-12 small boats, before being transhipped in a truck to the province of San Cristobal. On arrival the goods are usually distributed in several small trucks, which supply different markets and institutions across the country. Stressing that the contraband products are generally sold at a much lower price in the local market, creating distortions and cause significant economic losses for local businesses that can not compete face to these products.
Lieutenant General Máximo William Muñoz Delgad, Dominican Minister of Defence, warned that its services will continue to struggle with rigor against those criminal groups, which have long been involved in goods traffic through the Haitian-Dominican border.
