Government official: German sect sought foothold in the country “horrifying”

Santo Domingo.- A senior Government official on Thursday called the attempt by an armed sect to establish a foothold in the country “horrifying,” in reference to the October 17, 2012, police raid in Sosua, Puerto Plata, where two safes reportedly with US$1.5 million along with other valuables were stolen.

Ethics Commission director Marino Vinicio Castillo (Vincho) said the one German citizen who was killed and the four other alleged sect members injured “were in the wrong place,” by brandishing weapons to deny the authorities access to their compound.

He also rebuked the alleged theft of the money by the agents, calling it a "criminal abuse of the spoils," noting that as a next step he expects to investigate, prosecute and convict all those involved, and seek the maximum penalty.

Castillo, speaking to open the Office of Freedom of Information at the State TV-Radio broadcaster CERTV Channel 4, added that the sect of Germans "was attempting to predict the end of the world."

At least six police agents and officials under investigation have admitted to the existence of the safes, while invoices and receipts in the millions they can’t explain have been seized from several of them.