Dominican court hears extradition case
by Peter Prengaman

The Associated Press    Translate This Article
2 February 2005

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) - The Supreme Court heard opening arguments Tuesday in the extradition case of a former Dominican army captain wanted in the United States on cocaine trafficking charges.

Quirino Paulino Castillo, 44, was arrested Dec. 18 in Santo Domingo while allegedly transporting 3,051 pounds of cocaine in a truck. He is charged with five counts of drug smuggling and money laundering in U.S. District Court in New York.

Dozens of police wearing bulletproof vests and carrying automatic weapons patted down about 500 people who came to watch the proceedings.

Paulino Castillo conferred with his lawyers and relatives but did not testify. He is being held in a Santo Domingo prison pending a ruling on the extradition and a possible local trial on similar charges.

The Caribbean country of 8.8 million is a common transshipment point for South American cocaine bound for the United States.

Tomas Castro, an attorney for Paulino Castillo, said his client could only get a fair trial in the Dominican Republic.

He cited the indefinite detention of terror suspects at the U.S. prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as proof ''the U.S. justice system isn't the panacea of the land.''

''The United States shouldn't be able to come and give small countries orders,'' Castro said.

Analdy Alcantara, a lawyer representing the U.S government, did not address Castro's arguments. She insisted the extradition should be a ''simple process,'' noting Paulino Castillo was wanted in the United States for drug trafficking charges related to the largest cocaine seizure in the Dominican Republic.

The Supreme Court will have 15 days to rule once arguments have concluded.

U.S. Ambassador Hans Hertell said last month that top officials from the Dominican armed forces and anti-narcotics police force were implicated in drug smuggling.

Paulino Castillo joined the Dominican army in 2001 but was dismissed for ''irregular behavior'' in 2003, according to Santo Domingo District Attorney Jose Manuel Hernandez, who has not elaborated.

Copyright©2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.



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