Pubdate: Fri, 30 Aug 2002 Source: New York Times (NY) Copyright: 2002 The New York Times Company Contact: http://www.nytimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298 Section: World Briefing Author: David Gonzales DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: DIPLOMAT FACES DRUG CHARGE The police charged the country's vice consul to Haiti with drug trafficking after he was found with more than 90 pounds of cocaine, a machine gun and numerous Haitian and Dominican passports. Ornis Freddy Pena Mendez was arrested in a Santo Domingo slum with two other men who were under surveillance. The police said the group used a tour bus line to smuggle drugs into the country from Haiti, whose lack of effective police and border control has made it a favorite port of entry for Colombian smugglers. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart