DEA supervisor arrested as US shutters Dominican Republic office during visa-fraud probe

A supervisor at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s office in the Dominican Republic has been arrested amid an investigation into alleged abuse of a visa program for confidential informants, according to current and former U.S. officials familiar with the matter.

Melitón Cordero was taken into custody as part of an investigation led by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, sources told The Associated Press on Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation remains ongoing.

The arrest coincides with the Trump administration’s sudden closure of the anti-narcotics office in the Caribbean nation. U.S. Ambassador Leah F. Campos announced the indefinite closure on social media platform X, citing what she described as a “disgusting and disgraceful violation of public trust.”

“I will not tolerate even the perception of corruption anywhere in the Embassy I lead,” Campos wrote, though she did not provide specific details about the circumstances leading to the office’s closure.

Dominican Foreign Affairs Minister Roberto Álvarez clarified that the shutdown was related to an internal U.S. investigation and did not involve the Dominican government. Neither the DEA nor the Department of Homeland Security immediately responded to requests for comment on the situation.

The investigation appears to center on the sponsorship visa program used by U.S. law enforcement agencies. Each year, the DEA, FBI, and other federal agencies sponsor hundreds of foreign nationals to enter the United States who might otherwise be inadmissible due to their associations with criminal activity. These individuals, who serve as confidential informants, are expected to assist investigators and may eventually become eligible for permanent residency in the United States.

However, the program has faced scrutiny in recent years. A 2019 report by a Justice Department watchdog identified significant oversight problems, revealing that law enforcement had lost track of as many as 1,000 sponsored individuals. The report warned that these lapses posed potential public safety and national security risks due to the individuals’ connections to criminal networks.

The Dominican Republic plays a crucial role in U.S. anti-narcotics efforts as a major transit zone for drugs moving from South America to North American markets. Law enforcement authorities in both countries have historically maintained close working relationships to combat drug trafficking operations.

The importance of this bilateral cooperation was highlighted in late November when Dominican President Luis Abinader authorized the U.S. government to operate within restricted areas at San Isidro Air Base and Las Américas International Airport to enhance counter-narcotics operations.

The closure of the DEA office represents a significant disruption to these joint efforts at a time when drug trafficking organizations continue to use Caribbean routes to transport narcotics. The region has seen fluctuating patterns of drug movement as traffickers adapt to enforcement pressure along the Central American corridor.

Law enforcement experts note that maintaining integrity within anti-narcotics operations is particularly critical in transit countries where corruption can undermine enforcement efforts. Visa programs for informants require careful oversight to prevent abuse while still gathering intelligence necessary to disrupt trafficking networks.

The case highlights ongoing challenges in balancing operational security with proper oversight in international law enforcement operations. It remains unclear how long the DEA office will remain closed or how the investigation might impact broader counter-narcotics cooperation between the United States and the Dominican Republic.

Officials have not released details about what specific allegations Cordero faces or whether other individuals might be implicated in the investigation.