Dominican troops on alert as150+ escape Haiti prison

Santo Domingo.- Military patrols were heigthenedalong the Dominican-Haitian border in the wake of the escape of at least 170 inmatesat Arcahaie prison, northwest of Port au Prince.

Defense minister Ruben Paulino said the Armyand the Border Security (Cesfront) to increased surveillance at the variousborder crossings to keep the escapees from entering Dominican territory. "Oncewe receive the information we alerted the military security agencies tointensify border controls at access points."

He said the controls will make it impossible forescaped prisoners to evade military surveillance established in the area."Right now these main points of the border are closely controlled byDominican soldiers."