US embassy cable - 05SANTODOMINGO3177

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 003177 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR (MCISAAC), INL, L/LEI (TAYLOR, 
FUENTES, MUELLER) 
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR CRIM/OIA (ORJALES) 
DEPT PASS DEA FOR OF, OFI, DO AND DCO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/2015 
TAGS: CJAN, PGOV, KCRM, SNAR, DR, Extraditions 
SUBJECT: DOMINICANS KEYED UP ABOUT QUIRINO NARCOTRAFFICKING 
CASE 
 
REF: A. SANTO DOMINGO 1971 
     B. SANTO DOMINGO 899 
 
Classified By: Michael Meigs, Economic and Political Counselor, reasons 
 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
1.  (SBU)  The following report was posted on our SIPRNET 
site on June 13. 
 
QUIRINO - THE CASE THAT KEEPS ON GIVING 
 
(SBU) The two Assistant U.S. Attorneys prosecuting the 
Quirino Paulino Castillo (Quirino) narcotics trafficking case 
in the Southern District of New York spent two and a half 
days in the Dominican Republic last week, June 8-10.  They 
learned about the size and scope of the case and what it 
means to the Dominican people.  In that short period, 
Dominican Attorney General Dominguez Brito met with them 
three times to stress the importance of the case and 
emphasize his desire to collaborate closely in identifying 
others involved in Quirino's drug transportation network. 
 
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Cautious approach 
----------- 
 
(SBU) The AUSAs approached the trip cautiously, looking for 
information and details on evidentiary matters.  Their 
consistent message was that the Quirino case is in its 
preliminary stages and that they will follow all leads.  One 
status conference has been held, the next is scheduled for 
September, but the trial is not even on the docket yet.  They 
expect that plea negotiations will start as more 
co-defendants are arrested and extradited to the Southern 
District of New York.  (To date, seven co-defendants are in 
custody in New York; two more arrested last week in the 
Dominican Republic waived their rights to extradition 
hearings and arrived in New York last week.) 
 
------------------ 
Dominican government wants action now 
------------------ 
 
(C) The Dominican Attorney General, the capital region 
District Attorney and their staffs were pleased by the USG 
visit and spent hours with the AUSAs discussing evidentiary 
matters and leads to other possible co-collaborators.  The 
Dominicans remain anxious for progress in the case in the 
United States via a quick trial date or plea.  They asked 
that we request in extradition all those who may have ties to 
the Quirino organization.  The Dominican authorities are well 
aware that the Quirino ties might lead all the way to former 
President Hipolito Mejia.  The political reality is that If 
they advocate early and often for U.S. indictments of all 
related co-conspirators and extradition requests, the 
Fernandez government will better positioned to pursue Mejia, 
if he can be tied to this mess. 
 
-------------------- 
No information for indictment of former President Mejia 
-------------------- 
 
(C) We understand that at this stage in the case, there is 
not enough information to justify a U.S. indictment of Mejia. 
 Instead, what exists are rumor and speculation ) Dominican 
staples.  Many of the rumors here arose from the recent suit 
against Vincho Castillo, a criminal and civil action for 
defamation instituted by sitting senator Hernani Salazar, 
from Mejia's PRD.  The judge, in what the press is calling a 
"solomonic" decision, found Vincho not guilty on criminal 
defamation charges but liable on civil defamation charges. 
The interesting twist to the trial is that truth is a defense 
to defamation.  So in finding Vincho not guilty but liable, 
even the judge seems to be indicating that she isn't certain 
if Vincho was telling the truth in his assertions of ties 
between Quirino and the Mejia administration.  The AUSAs will 
receive transcripts of the Vincho trial to review in 
conjunction with the Quirino case. 
 
--------------------- 
More fugitives and soon to be more defendants in the U.S. 
--------------------- 
 
(SBU)  Shortly before the AUSAs arrived in town, the Criminal 
Chamber of the Supreme Court authorized the issuance of 
arrest warrants based on extradition requests delivered by 
the Embassy.  Ten of those warrants are for fugitives wanted 
under the same indictment at Quirino.  Two of them were 
arrested early last week, waived their extradition rights and 
were sent to the United States.  Two more are in Dominican 
custody, with an arrangement for local charges to be dropped 
to clear the way for arrests pursuant to the extradition 
requests.  Of the remaining six, three were apprehended by 
the Dominican DNCD this weekend.  Two of the new arrestees 
have indicated in early interrogations that they will waive 
their rights to extradition hearings.  Each returned fugitive 
is one more defendant with good reason to cooperate with US 
authorities. 
 
(SBU)  The consequences of the Quirino case continue to build 
and its implications are just now becoming evident.  As 
defendants start implicating others in return for plea 
bargains, we can expect more indictments, more requests for 
extradition and more rumor and speculation in the Dominican 
Republic. 
 
 
2.  (U) Drafted by Angela Kerwin. 
 
3.  (U) This piece can be consulted at our SIPRNET site 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/santodomingo/  
along with extensive other material. 
Hertell