Authorities in the Dominican Republic have detained a colonel and nine police officers accused of stealing weapons and ammunition from a police armory and selling them illegally, including to individuals linked to criminal activities in Haiti. The arrests, announced earlier this week, are part of a broader crackdown aimed at recovering the stolen military supplies and addressing the growing security concerns in the region.
A Systemic Breach in Police Armory
The investigation was launched after irregularities were discovered in the armory’s inventory. A document obtained by the Associated Press revealed that the stolen supplies, including over 900,000 rounds of ammunition, were sold to individuals in Haiti, where they were reportedly used in criminal activities.
One of the suspects, Miguelina Bello Segura, allegedly received multiple boxes of ammunition at her residence in Pedernales, a province bordering Haiti. These boxes were sold for prices ranging from $86 to $99 each, then transferred to known criminals in Haiti.
At the center of the operation is Narciso Antonio Feliz Romero, a colonel accused of orchestrating the scheme. Authorities claim he accepted cash payments from an officer involved in facilitating the sales through contacts in Haiti. Evidence suggests that these transactions occurred over a period of months, although the full timeline and exact nature of the weapons involved remain under investigation.
Broader Implications and International Concerns
This case highlights longstanding concerns raised in a 2023 United Nations report about the flow of illegal arms into Haiti. The report pointed to the Dominican Republic as a primary source, with Jamaica also playing a smaller role. The smuggling of weapons across borders has exacerbated Haiti’s crisis, where escalating violence has gripped the nation, leaving authorities struggling to maintain control.
The arrests also bring into focus the Dominican Republic’s ongoing efforts to secure its border with Haiti. President Luis Abinader has been vocal about his concerns over Haiti’s instability, frequently citing it as a threat to the Dominican Republic’s national security. His administration has undertaken significant measures, including constructing a border wall and deploying additional security forces, to curb the movement of weapons and unauthorized individuals across the shared border.
A Blow to National Security
Wilson Camacho, head of the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Administrative Corruption (PEPCA), condemned the illegal arms operation as “extremely serious.” He emphasized that such actions undermine national security, not only in the Dominican Republic but also in the region, as they contribute to the cycle of violence destabilizing Haiti.
The Dominican government is now under pressure to recover the stolen supplies and ensure stricter oversight of its military and police armories. As the investigation continues, it remains to be seen whether these arrests will mark a turning point in the effort to curb cross-border arms trafficking and restore some measure of stability to the region.
The Fragile State of Hispaniola
The incident underscores the fragile relationship between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, two nations that share the island of Hispaniola but often find themselves at odds over issues of migration, security, and economic disparity. With Haiti’s ongoing humanitarian and political crisis showing no signs of resolution, the role of external actors in exacerbating or alleviating the situation will remain a critical point of focus in the months to come.
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