Prosecutor says alleged drug traffickers plan to avoid arraignment

Santo Domingo.- The Justice Ministry’s Special Anti-money Laundering Unit on Wednesday warned that lawyers of the brothers Nelson and Winston Rizik, alleged drug traffickers and money launderers, plan to prevent their arraignment .

Winston Rizek (El Gallero) allegedly forms part of a money laundering and drug trafficking network, which the Justice Ministry has accused of using contract killers as part of its operations.

Unit director Germán Miranda said that all obstacles and incidents against the Monte Plata (east) Office of Prosecutor, including the recent challenge of the Monte Plata interim judge form part of the alleged plan.

"The ultimate aim is to try to discredit the ongoing process, including the accusation against the prosecutor, including the lies poured into his failed, inconsistent motion, lacking legal basis and the alleged partiality and lack of objectivity of the judge in the case," Miranda said in a statement.

The prosecutor added that the challenge fails to adhered to the Criminal Procedural Code, for which the Santo Domingo province Court of Appeals must reject it.