DEA region heads, Dominican Antinarcotics deal with heroin, fentanyl ‘crisis’

Santo Domingo.- US ambassador James W. Brewster on Thursdaysaid the authorities are challenged to combat the trafficking of fentanyl, heroinand other substances through the Dominican Republic.

After meeting with president Danilo Medina the diplomatsaid they spoke on how to go forward in the fight against drug cartels and traffickingthrough the Dominican Republic.

The diplomat said the US will continue its assistance to fightdrug trafficking, and will make significant donations to be announced this weekend.

"We want to thank president Danilo Medina for all theassistance that he’s giving us in the fight against drug trafficking," Brewstersaid

National Drugs Control Agency (DNCD) president EdmundoFelix Pimentel and several DEA agents, including Matthew Donahue attended themeeting. Brewster said the DEA agents which attended the meeting operate inmajor US cities where many Dominicans reside.

Felix said the meeting reaffirms Dominican Republic’s commitmentto fight international drug trafficking. "It’s a way with allied countriesto jointly combat this scourge that affects us all.”

DEA

Donahue, DEA special agent for Puerto Rico and the regionsaid: "We will work closer to fight narco together."

He said the trafficking of drug, guns and others, “areglobal problems affecting our countries. The idea is to work closely togetherand incorporate our experiences."

Donahue stressed the presence of DEA heads of in New York,Boston and other US cities. "That’s because we have a crisis in thetrafficking of fentanyl and heroin."

He said DEA special agents from Mexico, Colombia alsoattended the meeting "with whom we’ll work to identify cartels thatsmuggle drugs."