Dominicans face the ‘most dangerous Colombian cartel ever ‘

Santo Domingo.- Justice minister Francisco Domínguez Brito on Thursday warned of a looming fight “against one of the most dangerous Colombian cartels ever seen in the Dominican Republic," in which prominent Colombians take part for the first time.

He said everyone should work to make sure the country doesn’t fall prey to those cartels.

Although Dominguez didn’t specify the case of the Colombian brothers Húber and Angel Buitrago, he noted its extensive media coverage.

The two Colombians were again arrested yesterday, this time on forgery charges, after posting a RD$6.0 million bond on a money laundering indictment.

When reporters challenged their attorneys Rafael Taveras and Francisco Domínguez Abreu to reveal the origin of the money, they state conflicting versions that could lead to an investigation by prosecutors.

Taveras said he and his colleague put up RD$3.0 million each for the release of the alleged traffickers on bail, but Dominguez denied it and said his client Húber Buitrago, sent the three million pesos in cash to his office.

“How did you get six million pesos in cash, where did you get them?, a reporter asked Taveras, who said: "with regard to the six billion pesos, I myself provided 3 million pesos from my money, I’ve been in exercise for 13 years and I can justify that money."