This Wednesday approximately two tons of cocaine were seized during the execution of the Operation NK Buffaloto dismantle a network of drug trafficking transnational and money laundering.
During the operation, in which 10 people linked to the network were arrested, firearms, cash and personal documents were also confiscated from the detainees.
According to the investigationthose involved in this criminal network They would have moved other large drug shipments from Colombia and Venezuela to Puerto Rico, the United States and Europe via the Dominican Republic, using speedboats and fishing boats.
Then they carried out the logistics to send them to the United States and Europe, where sometimes, their value tripled, “generating earnings exorbitant illegal fees for members of the structure,” a press release highlights.
The operation included more than 400 effectivemaritime, air and land units, coordinated by 47 prosecutors executed 37 orders of raids simultaneously. Operations are still active as teams process evidence and seized property.
Among the authorities involved in the process is the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) and the National Directorate of Drug Control (DNCD), with the support of the Ministry of Defense (through its three forces, Navy, Army and Air Force), State Intelligence Agencies, the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the United States Southern Command, who deployed the operation by air, sea and land, in the provinces of Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata, MarÃa Trinidad Sánchez, La Romana and Samaná.
Ringleaders
The entities indicate that a process began several months ago investigative around this criminal networkalso dedicated to contract killing, compulsory collection and money laundering, identifying as one of its ringleaders to the accused for drug trafficking Rafael Ynoa Santana (El Cojo, Pocho, El Don) and one of his partners, Isidoro Rotestan Clase (El Men), both arrested during the operation.
During the course of the investigationthey confirmed that Ynoa Santana had ties with the Colombian Juan Carlos López MacÃas “El Sobrino”, who was the leader of a organization of drug trafficking international, linked to Colombian and Mexican criminal organizations.
Alias ​​el Sobrino was arrested on June 27, 2022, during the execution of the Operation “Troya”, in simultaneous action in several cities in Colombia, which configured an important operational result that contributes to strengthening coexistence and citizen security in the region.
“After an extensive process of cooperation In international legal matters, this is the first time that common evidence provided by another country, in this case the Republic of Colombia at the request of the Dominican Republic, is used in a collaboration process to strengthen the investigation and the judicialization of a organization international of drug trafficking in the Dominican Republic,” the press release states.
