Dominican Rep. was Malecón Cartel’s kry money laundering center

Santo Domingo.-The Dominican Republic not only became the “Malecón Cartel’s” key springboard to ship large amount of drugs to the United States and Europe, it was also its preferred center to launder the money from its profits.

Authorities have been able to establish that Yoel Antonio Palmar Vergel acquired properties in the country, as is the case of the “Palace Casino,” located on the seaside avenue, Malecón, to hide his fortune.

After purchased the goods were transferred to third parties in order to avert the tracking of the transactions.

Given this, the Anti-Money Laundering Office of the Drugs Control Agency aims to identify the individuals that helped the alleged capo in his network and the other properties.

Posing as an investor, Palmar had managed to turn his criminal activities “invisible” to investigators, managing to avoid being involved in drug trafficking cases to which he is now linked.

Casino shuttered

After a search on Thurs. of the “Palace Casino,” the Finance Ministry temporarily shuttered the establishment, which operates since 2015.