Extraditables among arrested in Operation Falcon

Santo Domingo.- Three of the members of the drug trafficking and money laundering network dismantled through Operation Falcón are part of the list of politicians, soldiers and businessmen requested in extradition by the United States several months ago.

Among those extraditable is Juan José de la Cruz Morales, who was arrested in 2016 along with six Dominicans for being linked to the seizure of 1,786 kilos of cocaine in Puerto Rico.

De la Cruz Morales is identified by the US authorities as one of the leaders of said network, which has links with Colombian drug trafficking structures.

Last May, newspaper EL DÍA gave the scoop on the extradition process that the United States initiated against those linked to drug trafficking networks in the country, including Deputy Miguel Gutiérrez Díaz, arrested in Miami by the DEA.

On that occasion, a source revealed to EL DÍA that Dominican judicial authorities traveled to Colombia, Miami and Washington to obtain more information on civilians and soldiers linked to drug trafficking networks.

Operation Falcón continued yesterday in Santiago, where agents of the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD), in coordination with the Public Ministry and supported by agents of the Drug Control Administration (DEA), of the United States, carried out three raids.

So far the authorities have seized thousands of dollars from the members of the network, fuel stations, dozens of properties, 20 high-end vehicles and three dealers.

In the case, in addition to Juan José de la Cruz Morales, Juan Maldonado Castro, head of the General Directorate of the Digna Community, as well as José Alejandro de la Cruz Morales, María Olimpia Tavárez, Lenin Bladimir Torres Bueno and Delfina Asunción Polanco have been arrested, among others