Provincial judge says case with 43 accused ‘unsafe’

Santo Domingo.- The Supreme Court on Friday transferred from Higuey to the National District a case 43 people, including 28 military officers, charged with forming part of an international drug trafficking ring from which 691 kilos of cocaine was seized at Punta Cana International Airport.

The Court agreed to the transfer after Altagracia province Instruction judge Yohan Carlos Morales Peguero cited concern for public security.

Morales said it was necessary to transfer the case to the National District, “where conditions are safer for a case with the number of defendants is very high. There’s no courtroom in Higuey where a hearing with 43 defendants can be held."

Quoted by outlet diariolibre.com, the judge said "security was greatly threatened” by the incidents occurred during the hearing to set bail at the Higuey courthouse.

The accused: José Brazobán Adames, Bolívar Alberto Mercado Díaz, Anthony Antonio Santana Núñez, José Manuel Celedonio Castro, Huáscar Francisco Zapata Ramírez, Rafael Aníbal de la Rosa Tapia, Joan Antonio Daniel Rosario, Arencio Guevara Guevara, Andrés Avelino Méndez García, Miguel Damián Florimón, Kissoris Ciprián and Carlos H. Martínez.

Also Bartolo Marte Mañón, Sixto Alberto Familia Viola, José Altagracia Concepción, Luis Daniel Pérez Martínez Dioclesiano de Jesús Cruceta Ortiz.

Also Fernando Rubí, Edinson Peña Albino, Adrison Antonio Reyes Suero, Carlos Rafael Herrand Martínez, Bienvenido Pérez Mesa, Adris Ozuna Novas, Juan Carlos Santana Polanco, Rolando Caonex Rojas, Michel Camilo Bacha Mateo, Irwin Alexander Arias Santana, Manauris Encarnación Sánchez, Cristian Miguel Sánchez Soriano and/or Cristian Miguel Sánchez Sosa, Orlando Francisco Franco Noble, Ramírez Alfredo de Jesús Santana, Miguel Daniel Fiallo Rosario, Danny Daniel Balbuena Bejarán, Bryan Fernando Valerio Santos, Jorge Ramón Jorge Pérez, Carlos Manuel Meregildo Rodríguez, José Altagracia Concepción Vásquez, Isidro Reyes Jiménez y Vladimir Brito Pérez, Juan Elizardo Zabala Inirio, Jesús Alberto Poche Liz, Antonio Arturo Acevedo and Carlos Espinal (El Flaco).

Also French nationals Pascal Jean Fauret, Bruno Armand Víctor Ados, Alain Marc Paul Marie Castañy and Nicolás Cristopher Pisapia. Also Bartolo Marte Mañón, Familia Viola, José Altagracia Concepción, Luis Daniel Pérez Martínez and Dioclesiano de Jesús Cruceta.