Pubdate: Tue, 18 Dec 2007
Source: Dominican Today (Dominican Republic)
Copyright: 2007 Dominican Today
Contact: http://www.dominicantoday.com/app/contact.aspx
Website: http://www.dominicantoday.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4101

AGENCY FEARS FOR DOMINICAN DRUGS CZAR'S LIFE

SANTO DOMINGO. - The National Control Drugs Agency  (DNCD) today said
the fact the name of its president,  Rafael Ramirez, had been found
written on scraps of  paper in several houses recently raided, among
them the  villa of a kingpin in Juan Dolio, San Pedro (east) is  part
of an unspecified plan by drug traffickers.

"It's been called to our attention that the name of  major general
Ramirez Ferreira has been found in  different raids. The most recent
finding took place in  a villa property of one Ramon Antonio del
Rosario  Puente, alias ToA1o LeA1a. In that house at least three
scraps of paper were found with the name written by  hand, without
there being a certainty as to what would  be the intention," said the
DNCD.

In effect, the antinarcotics agency asked "what would  be del Rosario
Puente's and his accomplices intention"  when having the senior
official's name by hand, without  discarding that some maneuver is
procured against him,  initiating with a possible campaign of
intimidation or  disrepute to "damage the work which the DNCD does
against local and foreign sponsors of drug  trafficking."

DNCD spokesman Roberto LebrA3n said that the villa  where the scraps
of paper were found is located in the  exclusive Metro Country Club,
in Juan Dolio.

Del Rosario is sought by the DNCD for questioning into  a shipment of
cocaine dropped from an airplane in Batey  La CampiA1a, Ramon Santana,
where agents seized 30  packages and arrested an individual known
likase Ruddy  Todd Castro.

"Several readings can be given to finding the DNCD  president's name
written in a place such as the house  of an individual lately sought
for international drug  trafficking" and even more when the
institution fights  to the death against those involved in the ominous
drug  trafficking business, taking into account the number of
officials and agents assassinated."
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