Dominican Republic puts 5 drug traffickers’ seized assets on the block

Santo Domingo.- The properties seized in Dominican Republic from Puerto Rican kingpin Jose Figueroa Agosto, and those of convicted drug traffickers Manuel Emilio Mesa "El Gringo," Quirino Paulino "El Don," René Sinclair and Félix Zapata Molet will go on auction October 3, though the National Money Laundering Committee must approve that date.

The government aims to raise around RD$150 million from the sale of luxury vehicles, upscale apartments and houses and lots, mostly located in the National District and in the South region, seized from the convicts for violating the Money Laundering Law.

Man of 10 names

By far the most notorious of the five is Figueroa Agosto "Junior Capsula," who used at least 10 identities.

His local associates knew him as "Cristian Almonte Peguero," whose many properties and vehicles weren’t directly in his name, and under Sobeida Felix, his Dominican girlfriend.

According to documents cited by outlet eldia.com.do, the apartments are part of the goods to be put on the block, but still need to be appraised.

Among the vehicles to be put on auctioned off figure a Ferrari, Porsche and Mercedes Benz G500 and high end SUVs.

"El Don"

Seized from Paulino, a former Army captain, were three apartments and a house worth RD$100.3 million. His arrest, in which the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration took part, stemmed from the confiscation of 1,387 kilos of cocaine on December, 2004.

"El Gringo"

Seized from Mesa were several luxury vehicles and cash in pesos and euros, whereas from Zapata -arrested in 2006 and extradited to the United States – were confiscated three apartments in the National District, worth RD$20.4 million,.

Sinclair

Seized from Sinclair was an apartment worth RD$10.0 million, a case in which the U.S. also cooperated.