Dominican military handed over US intel to drug lords, El Dia reports

Santo Domingo.- U.S. authorities have opened an investigation into the infiltration of drug organizations in Dominican Republic’s law enforcement agencies, and provided help including high-tech intelligence equipment, so that they could successfully smuggle the narcotics, eldia.com.do reports.

It has been learned that senior Dominican officials handed over to the drug gangs, sensitive information which U.S. intelligence agencies provided to their local colleagues.

U.S. authorities opened an investigation after noticing operations similar to several cases such already prosecuted, such as Antonio del Rosario Puente, Quirino Paulino and the group which includes former Navy senior officers Miguel Antonio Suárez and Carlos Rosso Peña Silfa.

In the case against Del Rosario Puente, known as Toño Leña , it expressly states that "obtained intelligence and assistance frin corrupt agents to promote drug trafficking activities."

U.S. authorities have also obtained direct testimony from Paulino, Rosso Peña and two others prosecuted whose names they’ve yet to disclose, because they are still providing "relevant and truthful" information.

Also prosecuted in Rosso Peña’s case have bee Navy captain Suarez, Heriberto Almonte Reyes, Gustavo Gallego Cordova, Harvey Bermúdez Lasso, Amparo Balaguera Sarta, Hector Rodriguez, Daniel Reyes González and Eduardo Almonte .

The information comes just one week after the U.S. request for extradition of retired general Hiraldo Francisco Guerrero.