Cuban migrants intercepted in D.R.

Cuban migrants intercepted in D.R.
Published March 11, 2014 EFE

Twelve Cuban migrants were detained Tuesday in the eastern Dominican
Republic when they were getting ready to clandestinely set sail for the
U.S. commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Dominican navy said.

The Cubans - three women and nine men - were arrested on the beach in
the municipality of Juan Dolio, 70 kilometers (43 miles) each of the
Dominican capital.

The migrants were going to set sail on board a boat approximately 17
feet in length, according to the navy communique.

Also found on the beach were an outboard motor, two containers of
gasoline, six life jackets, a canvas sail, two oars, an automobile and
three cell phones, the navy added.

The navy also said that the arrests were made after an "arduous" process
of gathering intelligence jointly with police and prosecutors.

Among the detainees were two Cubans identified by Dominican intelligence
as the organizers of the voyage and whom the local authorities had been
following for several months as part of an investigation of a
migrant-trafficking ring.

Navy units were continuing to search the area.

The Dominican Republic is separated from Puerto Rico by the Mona
Passage, a channel 100 kilometers (62 miles) wide. The journey is a
dangerous one and many migrants die trying to reach U.S. territory.

The Dominican navy has intercepted more than 200 would-be migrants so
far this year. EFE

Source: Cuban migrants intercepted in D.R. | Fox News Latino -
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2014/03/11/cuban-migrants-intercepted-in-dr/