The Dominican Republic has formally invited the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to help lead the probe into the troubling spate of tourist deaths there.
José Tomás Pérez, the country’s ambassador to the US, wrote to Sen. Chuck Schumer on Tuesday “unequivocally” supporting his call for the agency’s involvement over fears that bootleg alcohol could be to blame.
Confirming the embattled nation was already working with the FBI, he told Schumer he was writing to “extend this investigation into a full review” by the ATF over “any possible alcohol, bacterial or food manipulation.”
“At this juncture, we are happy to provide the full cooperation of all branches of our government, in the spirit of collaboration and in the interest of safety for the traveling public,” he wrote.
“The total transparency and independence of the investigations, supported by the most advanced techniques and technologies that may be available to us, remains our collective objective.”
The request comes as the reports of sudden deaths and serious illnesses at luxury resorts have battered tourism — with one recent studying saying it has dropped by almost 75 percent. The number of refunds for plane tickets from the US has also reportedly skyrocketed 127 percent so far this year.
“We remain committed to restoring the confidence of American travelers,” Pérez told Schumer, saying he was “reassured” that the New York senator represents the largest Dominican community in the US.
“The safety of all tourists remains our utmost priority,” the ambassador wrote.
An ATF spokesman said: “The FBI is lead in this investigation and we have offered our assistance to them.”
In his initial call Sunday for ATF involvement, Schumer said, “American tourists do not have to shake an eight ball before booking a trip.”
He suggested that bootleg alcohol could be to blame, since some of the tourists died after drinking from the minibar in their room.
“We all know some criminals use methanol in alcohol,” he said. “Some shady business people put methanol in alcohol instead of ethanol. It can kill you. Is that the cause?”