Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, May 30, 2006 / 22:00 pm
Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez said drug trafficking in the Dominican Republic could be stemmed if it weren’t for people in powerful positions who participate in it. It is necessary to be attentive and to see who is involved in this illicit trade, he said.
The Catholic prelate recognized the National Drugs Control Agency’s work against drug trafficking. He said it’s an unfair fight because traffickers have greater resources.
"This is an institution that is in a permanent fight, a fight that is out of proportion. The efforts made cannot be denied, but the business continues, the production continues, the consumption continues and of course they do what can be done," the cardinal said.
Drug gangs are powerful organizations that are imbedded among the influential people in society, he claimed, therefore being difficult for government to apprehend.
The cardinal-archbishop made his statements during a thanksgiving mass, marking the 18th anniversary of the National Drugs Control Agency.
The agency has seized 4,332 kg of cocaine, 23 kg of crack and 354,738 ecstasy tablets during the 21 months of Iván Peña’s tenure. It has conducted 15,900 drug seizures and 11,512 raids and has filed 6,382 charges.
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