Dominican colonels make lines to the clink

Santo Domingo.- Within just 24 hours two Dominican colonels have been arrested in separate cases, adding to the country’s woes on military and police corruption.

Air Force colonel Andres Francisco Reyes, his son Francer Andres Reyes were arrested along with a brother of Ernesto Bienvenido Guevara Diaz (Maconi), convicted of drug trafficking in the US and seven others charged with smuggling 337.51 kilos of cocaine near Barahona’s (southwest) coast last Friday.

A source in the Barahona Office of the Prosecutor said the colonel and his son, 19, and Raymiel Alexander Aponte, Venezuelan national Eudis Mendez, Francisco Antonio Urbáez (Robelin, Guevara’s brother-in-law), Josue Mercedes, Arnaldo Joel Perez, Pablo Santana Gomez, Confesor Perez and Eyuris Felix Santana are being held in connection with the drug.

Dominican Army Col. Jesus Acosta Florentino was arrested Monday in connection with the Peravia bank fraud, whereas National Police colonel Johan Liriano and Navy captain (colonel) Francisco Antonio Hiraldo Guerrero were detained on separate charges relating to drug trafficking and money laundering. Liriano has been released while Hiraldo is still being held in the U.S.