Former M.L.B. Players are linked to the Dominican crime network

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – Authorities in the Dominican Republic have arrested Octavio Dotel, the former major league pitcher, and have cited former ex-football player, Luis Castillo, for their alleged links with a network of drug trafficking and money laundering, officials said Tuesday.

The Dominican Attorney General, Jean Alain Rodríguez, said the police were also suing the alleged ring leader, César Emilio Peralta, also known as "Caesar's Abuse". Mr. Castillo – who is not the current pitcher of the Cincinnati Reds – has not yet been stopped.

"Eighteen other people are linked to this network, including athletes and baseball players Octavio Dotel and Luis Castillo," Rodríguez said at a press conference, calling it "the most important structure of drug trafficking in the region ".

He added that Mr. Peralta had created a complex system of companies to conceal the origins of his assets, calling on family members and members of his social circle, "including two prominent sports figures. Dominican Republic".

Mr Rodríguez said that the US government and the police services had participated in the investigation.

Dominican officials said that a shipment of 1,050 kilograms of drugs from South America to Puerto Rico was one of the seizures attributed to this ring.

On his Instagram account, Mr. Castillo denied any connection to drugs.

"The truth is that my country no longer works, my God, do you think that after winning millions of dollars in baseball, I'm going to get my hands dirty with drugs?", He wrote. .

Mr. Castillo has been a three-time star team member, won three gold gloves and was a member of the Florida Marlins team in 2003 who won the World Series.

Mr. Dotel, who set a record for playing more M.L.B. teams than any other player. The teams were the following: Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, Braves d & rsquo; Atlanta, the Kansas City Royals, the Yankees, the Oakland Athletes, the Houston Astros and the Mets.