ANTI-NARCOTICS CHIEFS ADMIT CORRUPTION HAMPERS WAR AGAINST TRAFFICKING

From 00 To 04 Drug Trafficking "Filtered Into All The Institutions"

SANTO DOMINGO. - The country's authorities in charge of fighting drug
trafficking admit that corruption is one the main stumbling blocks
to control narcotics trafficking in Dominican Republic, as the U.S.
State Department report indicates.

National Drugs Control Agency (DNCD) director Ivn Pea said that no
institution is free of corruption.

"Yes that's clear, we are not exempt (from corruption), what we have
to be is stronger and solid (the institution) and to identify where
the corruption is and to attack it, and this will allow that we could
reach our objective which is to eradicate drug trafficking in
Dominican Republic," he said.

The official affirmed that corruption is a phenomenon with so many
facets which makes it seem uncontrollable, "and I think that in the
measure in which the institutions are reinforced, we can win over this ill."

He said that he feels satisfied when the United States shows its
satisfaction with the fight which is carried out in the country
against drug trafficking.

In the same manner, the presidential Adviser in narcotics topics,
Marino Vinicio Castillo, also affirmed that the Dominican
institutions continue being vulnerable to drug traffickings
influence. He said that the years between 2000 and 2004 were
favorable for drug trafficking in the country, because "it filtered
into all the institutions."

"I have been speaking about this for ten years now and there is also
corruption that prevents the fight against drug trafficking. What we
are doing now is improving the interventions and working to improve
this," he said.

The officials spoke with reporters during a mass to mark the National
Police's 70th anniversary.