Dominican Army boots 100+ soldiers, creates border task forces

Santo Domingo.- More than 100 soldiershave been drummed out of service and charged with felonies in the past twomonths including smuggling, and drug and people trafficking, Dominican Army commanderJose Eugenio Matos revealed Wednesday.

He said as the result of stepstaken by the Army and Border Security (Cesfront) to control the border area contrabandand other crimes have been reduced by over 70 percent during the last twomonths.

"Whether a superior officeror an enlistee I will not allow the Army uniform to be stained with actionsthat violate the law; my tenure will not protect anyone who engages in criminalacts.” the official said, interviewed by eljnacional.com.do.

Matos also revealed the creationof special task forces in the various brigades based in three cities along the border,called the "Macheteers" in Mao, the "Mountaineers" in SanJuan and the Iguaneers" in Barahona.

"Soldiers who make up these platoonsare superior in training than regular troops, so we can ensure that our borderis now safer, more effectively monitored, because we have better trained,equipped and prepared men to defend that area, as well as Dominican Republic’s sovereignty."