‘Powerful” trafficker’s arrest prompts probe to include active generals

Santo Domingo.- This weekend’s arrest of a powerful narcotics trafficker wanted in the United States has prompted an investigation which will include several high-ranking officers, active generals among them, for allegedly protecting the suspect.

Sources cited by listin.com.do revealed that Oscar E. Rodriguez Cruz, arrested Sunday, made public life as head of the “Movement New Rebirth with Papa,” which supports opposition PRD party presidential candidate Hipólito Mejía. Billboards with both their photos have been installed in several places in Santo Domingo and San Pedro (east).

When arrested the alleged trafficker was in the company of Army corporal Jose A. Vásquez, reportedly his chauffer. He reportedly moved about accompanied by several police and military bodyguards.

Rodriguez, deported from the United States on February 1997, identified as a merchant, father of eight, and who lives in one of the western sectors known as ”Los kilometers,” was being held in Najayo prison awaiting extradition in March 2009, but efforts to re-arrest him since he left the jail have been unsuccessful.

The Supreme Court ruled to arrest him on February, for extradition to a court in Boston, Massachusetts, but it has beeen “difficult” to detain him from the alleged protection by some senior officers, generals among them, listin.com.do reports, citing intelligence source. It said when investigators sought Rodriguez’ whereabouts, those circles alleged that he had left the country.

Rodriguez frequently traveled to the Capital to supervise his gas station located on Churchill Av., and according to the source, owns several buildings, villas, financial offices and gas stations in the east region. On the Malecon, the accused allegedly owns a large house where a chrome-plating business had operated. “He’s a man with many economic resources.”