´Dangerous´ Dominican drug lord returned from US: El Dia

Santo Domingo.- TheUS authorities are expected to bring Ramon Antonio del Rosario Puente (ToñoLeña), considered one of the most active and dangerous Dominican drugtraffickers, after plea bargaining with the US Justice Dept. in Puerto Rico,where he would be released just three years after being sentenced to five yearsin prison and just five years after his arrest in Venezuela, E Dia reports.

He was convicted of smugglingover 20,000 kilos of cocaine to Puerto Rico, for having bribed officials at thehighest level including the then chief of operations of the National DrugsControl Agency (DNCD) and ordering the killing of dozens of his rivals andformer colleagues. "Toño Leña" obtained a light, almost symbolic sentence.

Dangerous

“The Dominican kingpin´simportance and danger was recognized by all authorities involved in his captureand investigations, including Javier Peña, then DEA agent in Colombia who activelyparticipated in the search, captured and killing of legendary drug traffickerPablo Escobar,” El Dia says.

“That experienceearned him a reputation within the agency to the point that he rose from agentto director of the DEA for the Caribbean, based in Puerto Rico.