Santo Domingo.- The Specialized Body for the Control of Fuels and Merchandise Commerce (CECCOM) has dealt a significant blow in the fight against the manufacturing and distribution of adulterated alcoholic beverages. In a recent operation conducted in the municipality of Los Alcarrizos, CECCOM dismantled a network of manufacturers producing and packaging adulterated alcohol, seizing over 500 units that were ready for distribution.
During the operation, authorities also destroyed three plastic tanks containing more than 140 gallons of alcohol that was prepared for bottling, 63 jugs of alcohol, 2,000 empty and labeled bottles, 5,403 bottle caps, 4,300 fiscal control labels, as well as rolls of adhesive tape marked with the logo of a national production company. Additionally, the operation yielded 152,000 Dominican pesos in cash, bank cards, a verifone, and several mobile phones.
The dismantling of this network was a coordinated effort involving CECCOM, the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Crimes and Offenses against Health (PEDECSA), the Dominican Republic Army, the Ministry of Public Health, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the National Institute for the Protection of Consumer Rights (ProConsumidor), and the General Directorate of Customs (DGA).
As part of the operation, two individuals, Alexis Rodríguez and Jenny Cabrera, were arrested. Their cases are currently under investigation.
The primary objective of these operations is to counteract the commercialization and manufacturing of alcoholic beverages that do not meet health standards and are sometimes illegally brought into the country to evade taxes. The operations are also aimed at enforcing Law 17-19, which targets the eradication of illicit trade.
CECCOM was established by Decree 279-04 on April 5, 2004, as a dependency of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MICM). It later became part of the Ministry of Defense following the promulgation of the Organic Law of the Armed Forces. CECCOM’s mission is to implement a national policy for the security and control of the distribution and commercialization of fuels, medications, alcoholic beverages, and cigarettes, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations, procedures, and standards.