By The Star Staff
Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR by its initials in Spanish) Secretary Ana Escobar Pabón acknowledged on Tuesday that a problem exists in island jails regarding the entry of illegal substances through drones, and officials who turn a blind eye.
She said the agency is trying to deal with the problem. Her remarks were made after a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging 34 individuals with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances within the Puerto Rico prison system, and other offenses, including charges relating to four overdose deaths.
“I hope that all those who have participated in this illegal activity are separated from the correctional system as soon as possible. Both inmates and DCR employees,” the official said. “The corruption within the agency does not honor us.”
According to court documents released on Tuesday, the defendants distributed fentanyl, suboxone, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and synthetic marijuana within DCR facilities. Members of the drug organization smuggled the drugs into the jails using unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) that carried packages containing the illegal substances. Other smuggling methods included the use of legal mail, family visits, official corruption/indifference, catapulting or throwing drugs into the prison yards, and hiding drugs inside other items brought into the prisons such as PlayStations, remote controls, food items and bags of ice.
During the time period relevant to the indictment, the illegal substances introduced by the drug trafficking organization also caused many overdoses, including at least four overdose deaths attributed to a drug mixture containing fentanyl.
Many of the defendants arrested Tuesday were part of a prison gang known as Group 31, or “Los Tiburones.” Group 31 established and maintained control of the distribution of significant quantities of illegal substances within numerous institutions operated by the DCR. Those institutions included, but were not limited to: Guerrero Correctional Institution, Aguadilla; Las Cucharas Sgto. Pedro Joel Rodríguez Matos Correctional Complex, Ponce; Bayamón Correctional Institution (501); and Guayama Maximum Security Correctional Institution (1000).
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