26112: Benson: :Relay News Item (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Legrace Benson <legrace@twcny.rr.com>

Source : El Nacional website, Santo Domingo, in
Spanish 22 Aug 05

Excerpt from report by Leo Reyes : "Shipment of arms
for Haiti seized", published by Dominican newspaper El
Nacional website on 22 August

The army seized a shipment of arms and munitions in
Jimani last night which were being taken to Haiti in a
minibus hired by a Haitian who had damaged his jeep in
the town of Fondo Negro, between Azua and Barahona.

A Dominican man has been arrested in connection with
the shipment, and the army's Intelligence Division is
on the trail of a number of other Haitians in order to
establish when and from whom they bought the arms, and
for what and for whom they were intended.

The haul included 20,000 bullets for M-16 and FAL
rifles, seven 12-calibre Mosseberg shotguns, a
45-calibre Colt pistol, a 38-calibre Smith and Wesson
revolver and 199 3.8-calibre pistol bullets. [Passage
omitted]

The G-2 [not further specified] has had reports since
last December on a ring engaged in trafficking arms
over the border and has been pursuing this ring,
according to Gen Cesar Concepcion Fernandez, head of
the Intelligence Division. [Passage omitted]

The seizure of the shipment comes just 15 days before
the official launch of the political campaign for the
presidential, parliamentary and municipal elections in
Haiti in November and December.