Two captains detained for migrant trafficking off Samaná with 62 aboard
A court in Samaná imposed periodic check-ins on two alleged captains of a clandestine vessel intercepted on 5 October with 62 people on board.
Court imposes coercive measure on captains of clandestine vessel in Samaná
The Court of First Instance of the Judicial District of Samaná imposed periodic check-ins for six months on Enerson Vilorio Eusebio and Ramón Francisco Sosa Batista, according to listindiario.com. Both are identified as alleged captains of a clandestine vessel intercepted by the Dominican Republic Navy (ARD) on 5 October, approximately 18 nautical miles north of Cabo Cabrón.
The vessel was transporting 62 people who allegedly were attempting to reach Puerto Rico irregularly, among them a minor and five Haitian nationals.
Investigations point to an alleged organised network coordinating clandestine maritime crossings from the eastern and north-eastern regions of the country. The judicial process continues with the aim of identifying other possible persons involved.
The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to combating the illicit trafficking of migrants through maritime surveillance and interdiction operations, in coordination with the United States coastguard service and the Public Ministry. The institution urged the population to avoid these crossings, which place human lives at serious risk at sea.
Source: Google News DO — Crime