Dominican Republic adds 900 border troops to ‘enforce the law’

Santo Domingo.- President Danilo Medina on Sun. said Dominican law will be enforced along the border, and ordered an additional 900 troops to bolster patrols on the coasts from Manzanillo to Puerto Plata in the north and Pedernales to Barahona in the south.

He also ordered the deployment of three helicopters an additional 50 off-road vehicles and, to “counteract the pre-penetration of undocumented immigrants and protect security along the entire border line.”

“We will coordinate all the institutions working at the border: Army brigades, Naval, Air Force squadrons, CESFRONT (Border Guard) and Immigration Directorate, so that they may enforce Dominican law on the border,” Medina said during a surprise visit.

He said the Government will refocus the points where the highest number of people flows.

Drones

“A fleet of drones will be deployed at the border, for whose handling 30 officers have been trained. In fact, since two months ago these drones are carrying out missions to identify the most vulnerable points and have proven their great effectiveness,” said Medina, accompanied by the ministers of the Presidency, José Ramón Peralta; of Defense, Rubén Darío Paulino, among others.