In a targeted law enforcement operation in the Dominican Republic, investigative agents have dismantled a coordinated criminal ring known colloquially as “The Sleepers”, taking three Colombian citizens into custody for their alleged roles in a series of targeted drug-facilitated robberies. The arrests were carried out by agents from the Central Directorate of Investigation (DICRIM), which operates under the Department of Investigation of Crimes and Offenses Against Property, following the execution of a court-authorized search warrant at an apartment located in the Arrecifes del Sol residential complex in Santo Domingo East.
The three detainees have been publicly identified as Natali Valeria Castillo González, Laura Valentina Villegas Villafaña, and Diego Armando González. According to lead investigators, the criminal network operated using a consistent, predatory modus operandi: female members of the group first contacted and seduced unsuspecting male victims, before slipping an unrecognized chemical sedative into the victims’ drinks. Once the substance took effect and left victims incapacitated, the group stole cash, high-value personal goods, payment cards, mobile devices and other sensitive personal property from their targets.
The search operation yielded a substantial haul of recovered stolen property and evidence tied to the ring’s criminal activity. Investigators retrieved multiple electronic devices including smartphones, laptops, tablets and smartwatches, alongside gold jewelry and branded luxury items that had been reported stolen by previous complainants. In addition to the recovered goods, agents seized 197,000 Dominican pesos, as well as undeclared funds in Canadian dollars and Colombian pesos. A chemical substance suspected to be the sedative used in the robberies was also seized, and will undergo forensic testing at a laboratory run by the Scientific Police to confirm its exact composition and link it to the criminal acts under investigation.
During a search of the third detainee, Diego Armando González, officers also found an identity document that showed clear indicators of forgery, adding an additional criminal charge to the ongoing case. The investigation is being conducted in close coordination with the Dominican Public Prosecutor’s Office, and remains open as authorities work to identify any additional victims who have not yet come forward, as well as uncover any other co-conspirators who may be part of the broader criminal structure. All three detainees and all seized evidence are currently in the custody of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, to be processed through the Dominican legal system in line with standard procedure.