Central America, Dominican officials eye a tough war on organized crime

Santo Domingo.- Representatives from the countries in theCentral American Integration System (SICA) and the Dominican Republic agreed Thursdayto push for a harmonized criminal law in the war on transnational organizedcrime and drug trafficking.

The decision was announced by representatives and delegatesfrom the Supreme Courts, Justice, Interior and Police, Public Safety and Foreignministries, and National police departments, Legislative Assemblies of theDominican Republic, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala , Honduras, Nicaraguaand Panama, at the March 29 to 31 meetings held in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

The Bolstered Central Detention Order and Cooperation Agreementaims to escalate the war on organized crime, by developing two regionalinstruments to improve judicial cooperation among SICA countries.

“The jump in organized crime warrants the promotion and adoptionof these treaties,” said Dominican Republic Supreme Court justice Francisco JerezMena.