Original subtitles

On this episode of Drug Wars, a hot pursuit in the Dominican Republic

as a multinational force inches closer to their target, aiming to dismantle a

Venezuelan cartel.

Just how far do the effects of narco traffic reach into a community?

Drug addicts now fill the streets in the Dominican Republic.

America's public enemy.

is drug abuse.

The decades -long war on drugs is a constant battle.

Drugs are menacing our society. With the growing demand in the United States,

cartels are moving an endless supply of drugs.

Positive for cocaine.

Fusion is taking you inside the drug war.

To the front lines of Operation Martillo, a multinational counter

operation. In just three months, we witnessed over 15 tons of drug seizures,

totaling over $800 million.

This is Drug Wars.

On the previous episode of Drug Wars, the

Dominican Republic's drug enforcement launched an undercover operation

to track down an infamous Venezuelan cartel boss and got intel about his

-million dollar drug movement already on the way.

If they seize his drug shipment, they'll have the proper evidence needed to make

an arrest and bring down this whole organization.

The next day, the DNCD hurries to brief the Dominican Navy, who will join the

efforts of this drug operation.

We have received the call, the information, that at about 50 miles, a

fast boat was divided, a go -fast, possibly loaded with drugs, and we were

to take off a Super Tucano, which confirmed to us that approximately at 30

miles...

The intel about the GOFAST position was obtained by the U .S. Office of Air and

Marines Aircraft when its radar spotted the smugglers and the crew alerted the

Dominican Republic's Air Force.

The DNCD's Major General comes on board to command the entire operation.

No resources are spared by the Dominicans.

Stopping this Venezuelan cartel from operating in their country just became

number one priority.

Copiado, señor.

En marcha.

El apoyo aéreo es importante, específicamente por la velocidad que

desarrollar, el alcance visual que tiene.

The Super Tucano still has eyes on the GOFAT, which is still heading towards a

remote area near Bani Bay. The aircraft continues to update the helicopter on

the progress.

Just in the past two years, there's been an 800 % increase of cocaine passing

through the Dominican Republic, making it a primary hub for drug trafficking in

the Caribbean.

With this large amount of drugs moving through the island, drug addicts fill

streets. And the number of them is growing.

Over 40 volunteers hit the streets weekly. They are all part of a rehab

institution called Hogar Crea. Their mission, to get addicts to enter their

detox program at no cost.

The addicts are picked off the streets in some of the most drug -infested

neighborhoods like Capotillo.

Capotillo has been a headache for the drug

enforcement agencies and the police and all that because they don't have no

control in that area.

Capotillo is considered one of the most dangerous areas in the city.

The organization only provides their services here during the day because at

night, the level of violence and crime is way too risky.

Igor knows these areas well. He injected heroin on the streets for half his

life. After 21 years of drug abuse, I wasn't

valued. Like my family, my daughter, she's in the United States, my son.

Igor finally left the drug life when he himself was rescued off the streets by

Hogar Crea.

He now works for the institution as the supervisor of all the centers in the

area.

Like most of the addicts in Capotillo, he used every day, and drugs were cheap

and easily available.

Well, we're going to be doing some tough work right now.

The Hogar group drives into a gang -dominated area and finally parks.

But immediately, Director Eddie, who's familiar with the local gang, is told

group should leave.

They're on the middle of processing cocaine. They're cooking it.

And that's what we've been informed. So they're not going to let anybody in

right now.

And those are the type of obstacles that we have when we kind of come and try to

do this work.

At the end, it's a conflict of interest.

Drug dealers don't want you to take the addicts out of their system because they

make a living out of them.

And we're just trying to get them out of there to give them a new opportunity.

A surge in drug traffic in the Dominican Republic has resulted in a flood of

drug addicts on the street with little hope for rehabilitation.

Local organization, Hogar Crea, strives to tackle this epidemic in the most

affected area.

In this area, they have some shooting gallery. They have some crack houses.

And there's a lot of drugs because wherever there is economy, wherever

money, there are drugs.

The Ogata crew heads into a back alley, a preferred spot where lots of addicts

hang out to inject.

They bring hot cooked food to help attract the drug addicts.

Most of these drug back alleys are tucked far away, far from everyday eyes.

Many of these addicts

have open sores from excessive drug use.

Others, no belongings, and roam these alleys homeless.

The larger group we see here has just injected heroin and are hard to talk to.

Volunteers scatter and work fast.

Some pass out food, and others talk with users.

What we try is to convince them.

of the program to come in with the program with us and get them off the

give them an opportunity.

Keeping drugs and violence out of the streets in the Dominican Republic has

become one of the country's priorities.

With the Venezuelan cartel operating on the island, law enforcement is relying

on a multinational joint operation to bring down this organization.

We have exchanged intelligence on time with our DEA homologous. We have the

coordinates, we have already visualized the Ghost Facts, which comes to a point

already predetermined by us, where the interdiction is going to be carried out.

We are waiting for the helicopter to have the visualization and the exact

position where the boat is right now.

Ya el helicóptero está sobrevolando la zona.

Comando, con las coordenadas que me informó Tiburón 1, tiempo aproximado 15

minutos de vuelo.

Cuando ya tengamos comunicación con el helicóptero, inmediatamente ya el

de la costa me pasa esta información aquí a la lancha interceptora y nosotros

nos dirigimos al punto para interceptar a esta embarcación.

The helicopter plays a big role in the success of this mission.

They must put pressure on the smugglers to get them to stop, or fire at the

engine to disable them.

But go fast, like this one, can travel as quickly as 50 knots.

With the suspect showing no signs of slowing down, the helicopter fires

shots.

The Navy

speedboat struggles through the rough waters.

as they attempt to line up with the helicopter so they can corner the

Warning shots finally seem to work, and the smugglers come to a stop.

But now, the Navy boat is too far away to block the smugglers and make a

boarding.

Just as they thought the chase was over, the suspects get brave and make a run

for it, taking the pursuit back into full throttle.

Once again, the helicopter fires shots, this time aiming straight at

disabling the engines.

Tengo tiro!

Tengo tiro!

While law enforcement battles smugglers on the high seas, another front line in

this war lays out on the streets as groups like Hogar Crea attempt to save

addicts.

Two of the organization's leaders take interest in a young man.

Like

many

lost addicts, the boy does not respond.

But Igor can relate. He's been there before.

The young man is junior, and he uses crack on a daily basis, one of the worst

addictions. With crack cocaine selling on the streets for about $1 .25, over 90

% of addicts in the Dominican Republic are now crack users.

He's a young kid. You could see it in his eyes. Once he saw it, he started

crying. You know, he got real problems.

He got some attachment still to the community, maybe some illegal stuff.

what I could feel.

But let's hope that he just leaves everything behind and starts a new life.

Most drug addicts can never escape the vicious cycle of addiction.

But the leaders of the non -profit group, Hogar Crea, have successfully

from similar situations and know how to relate to them.

Until now, the volunteers have rounded up about four other people.

It seems Junior has also agreed to go with the group, but soon he starts to

second thoughts.

Junior tells Igor he needs to talk with his brother and resolve a few issues and

decides not to go.

One of the things that you've got to upset as a counselor or a recovering

is that you could help somebody change his life, but you cannot change his

Junior having second thoughts is bad news.

Igor knows that if he doesn't come today, he might never see him again.

A few miles off the coast of the Dominican Republic, a multinational

bust the Venezuelan cartel is still a high -stakes mission.

After initially surrendering, suddenly the suspects make a run for the beach.

But this time, the Navy speedboat maneuvers into position and quickly

down.

The Navy speedboat coordinates with the helicopter and gives the smugglers no

choice but to surrender.

Put your hand where you can see it.

Proceed to approach.

Proceed to approach the white. Proceed to approach the white as well.

Let's keep the approach.

Ready.

While the operation is being executed, we keep recording with the FLIR in case

the DNCD requires some information or requires to see.

How was the performance during the operation?

The DNCD units get on board the go -fast and quickly subdue the three suspects,

preventing them from notifying the cartel boss or anyone on land.

Two of the prisoners are moved onto the interceptor boat for security.

The third suspect will captain the go -fast with the remaining DNCD that will

escort him to base.

As the suspects and the contraband are brought onto the naval vessel, the DNCD

units realize the magnitude of this bust.

It is simply because of the effectiveness of the hammer operation

the area. It is what we call the Beiga effect.

They are pressing in the Pacific, in Central America, in South America, and

obviously the routes that have always existed in the Dominican Republic,

Rico and other islands, have increased.

With the mission accomplished, the Major General orders the helicopter and

the Super Tucano back to base.

The mission is far from over.

Now that the large shipment of drugs has been seized, the DNCD must complete the

most crucial part of the operation, arrest the big fish.

On the next episode of Drug Wars.

Having seized the drugs as evidence, the operation now focuses on arresting the

Venezuelan cartel bot.

And is it possible for a drug addict to

leave the streets and rebuild their life?

One user's future is at stake.