Navy seizes 388 boats, stops 2, 272 people headed to Puerto Rico

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Navy has seized 388 yolas and other types of boats this year and arrested 2, 272 people trying to travel illegally to Puerto Rico.

It said that in the January-August period, Naval Intelligence has achieved dismantled at least 14 groups of illegal traffickers in crossings to that island.

The Navy said the detainees include 1,979 Dominicans, 272 Haitians, 17 Venezuelans, seven Cubans, four Chinese, four Argentinians, three Ecuadorians and other nationalities.

“Most of the arrests and seizures of vessels occurred in different places in the eastern part of the country, which is still the most used by groups of organizers of frustrated journeys to that island,” it said.

It added that in the case of Dominicans, for each person, trip organizers charge as much as RD$165,000, but foreigners, especially Cubans, must pay up to US$7,000.

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