Officials want to get their hands on seized assets for ‘transparency’

Santo Domingo.- All agencies want to get their hands on the assets seized from drug traffickers and money-launderers and have publicly stated that they’re opposed to their management by the Justice Ministry.

Assets Laundering Committee president Fidias Aristy on Monday joined Defense minister Sigfrido Pared and National Drugs Control (DNCD) president Julio César Souffront in their opposition to the Justice Ministry’s sole custody of seized properties, claiming that a shared responsibility “guarantees transparency.”

Aristy affirmed that what’s most healthy and recommendable is a collegial management responsibility.

"We consider money laundering Law 72-02 a special law which calls for the establishment of a specialized entity for those assets, specifically the assets derived from money laundering."

Seized assets have historically ended up in the hands of senior military or government officials, and include luxury residences, vehicles and even vast farms.