Friday Sugar Puttzi Frugis Martínez, Director of the Specialized Land Border Security Corps (CESFRONT) delivered a partial assessment of the results of the fight against Haitian smuggling (to or from Haiti) by members of his institution with the support of the Dominican Armed Forces.

From January 2017 to February 2018, CESFRONT seized, inter alia: more than 205,000 pounds (± 93 tonnes) of contraband garlic from Haiti, more than five million packages of cigarettes of different brands, nearly 3,500 pounds ( ± 1.5 tonnes of marijuana), 2.156 gallons of clairin and thousands of alcohol bottles including rum of various brands.

In addition, on the Dominican territory, CESFRONT intercepted and seized 18,374 bags of charcoal smuggled to Haiti and discovered and destroyed 579 clandestine smokestacks along the border, intended for the manufacture of coal. There were also 1,565 bags of "guaconejo" clandestinely cut off from Dominican territory destined for the neighboring country (a plant with high monetary value for the species it produces, disappeared from Haiti because of uncontrolled cutting).

This report excludes, inter alia, the trafficking of vehicles (cars and motorcycles), spare parts, weapons, livestock and various foods between the two countries.

SL/ iciHaiti