US Donates $8 Million Plane to Dominican Republic ’to Combat Narcotrafficking’

Jose Mendoza, head of Colombia's anti-narcotics police, throws pamphlets offering rewards for information leading to the capture of members of the Gulf Clan cartel, as part of the Agamemnon anti-drug trafficking operation in Apartado, Colombia, on May 31, 2017. (Raul Arboleda /AFP/Getty Images)

The United States government donated an $8 million plane to the Dominican Republic to aid in the fight against drug trafficking, according to the U.S. Embassy in that country.

The donation of the Cessna model aircraft, made through the Department of Defense, highlights what the embassy says is the ongoing commitment between the two countries to dismantle illicit drug networks and provide humanitarian disaster relief.

A ceremony in February marked the official handover, attended by Dominican Republic officials such as the Minister of Defense, and Patricia Aguilera, Chargé d‘Affaires of the United States Embassy. A Chargé d’Affaires is a diplomat who heads an embassy in the absence of the ambassador, holding the same authority and performing the same duties.

Dominican Republic’s Role in Trafficking

The Dominican Republic’s strategic location in the Caribbean makes it a crucial link in the international drug trade.

Cocaine shipments from South America, primarily Colombia and Venezuela, find their way to the island nation before being smuggled into the lucrative U.S. market.

This flow of drugs is a significant source of revenue for powerful criminal networks, as reported by the Organized Crime Index (OCI).

“Cocaine constitutes the largest single criminal market in the Dominican Republic, which is believed to be the leading Caribbean transit hub for cocaine from Venezuela destined for North America or Europe,” an OCI report noted. “Cocaine is primarily imported into the country using go-fast boats and shipping containers. From the Dominican Republic, traffickers often target Puerto Rico as a gateway into the U.S.”

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Well-established Dominican Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) maintain close ties with powerful South American and Mexican drug cartels.

They play a pivotal role in cocaine and heroin distribution networks within the northeastern United States, according to the U.S. State Department’s International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR).

“Located just eighty miles from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic remains a primary destination of cocaine transiting the Caribbean and serves as a key transit country of U.S.-bound cocaine from South America,” the report states. “Resource constraints, endemic corruption, and lack of political will have handicapped the Dominican Republic.”

Drug trafficking operations have plagued the Dominican Republic for decades. In the past, Colombian cartels held greater sway, the report states. However, Dominican TCOs now exert increasing control over distribution channels within the United States.

The Dominican Republic faces a surge in drug-related violence, with homicide rates at times exceeding those of Mexico in recent years. These alarming figures highlight the severe consequences linked to drug trafficking activities.

Air Surveillance

The donated aircraft will significantly enhance the Dominican Republic’s counter-narcotics capabilities.

Enhanced surveillance of air and maritime spaces will allow authorities to more effectively detect and intercept drug shipments. This strategic asset bolsters efforts to disrupt the narcotics trade and dismantle criminal organizations.

“The incredible courage, strength, and teamwork demonstrated daily between the Dominican Republic and the United States to combat transnational crime is only achieved thanks to our strong partnership and shared vision of a safe and crime-free region,” noted Ms. Aguilera.

Challenges and Collaboration

The Dominican Republic and the United States have intensified counter-narcotics operations in recent years, yielding increased seizures of illicit drugs. However, challenges remain.

Corruption within law enforcement and government institutions in the Caribbean country poses a significant obstacle to progress, according to InSight Crime. The sheer volume of drugs transiting the country also hinders effective disruption.

Some strides have been made in recent years, though, as the United States has intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking originating from the Dominican Republic.

In 2022, the United States was able to extradite and prosecute high-profile trafficker Julio De Los Santos-Bautista, whose organization was responsible for major cocaine shipments.

Additionally, the U.S. Treasury Department designated Dominican national Jose Calderon Rijo as a major drug trafficker, disrupting his organization’s financial operations.

While in late 2023, the arrest and extradition of Habys Omar Meran, who fled prosecution in 2017 for smuggling millions in heroin after removing an ankle monitor while awaiting prosecution in Pennsylvania, led to him pleading guilty to two drug trafficking counts. He will be sentenced next month in federal court.