"U.S.'s neglect in narcotics war is obvious," Dominican drug czar says

"U.S.'s neglect in narcotics war is obvious," Dominican drug czar says - DominicanToday.com

Santo Domingo.- The Executive Branch's adviser on drugs Marino Vinicio Castillo, reiterated his criticism of the U.S. for the limited assistance he said it gives the Dominican Republic in the war on drug trafficking.

He said in a comparison between the Clinton and Bush administrations on the logistical support provided to Caribbean nations to tackle drugs, “the current U.S. government’s neglect is obvious.”

As an example he said Plan Merida, in which the U.S. gives US$500 million to Mexico and Central America to fight drug cartels, organized crime and human trafficking, but donates only US$2.5 million to Dominican Republic and Haiti for the same effort.

He also criticized the country's Judiciary because they allegedly work very little in the Government's war on drug trafficking. "In this period there have been more than 39,000 drug charges filed and there’s not even one percent is being prosecuted.”