Puerto Rico News Digest For January 9, 2015

FERRY PASSENGER BUSTED WITH HEROIN

From The San Juan Daily Star:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) field operations officers
have seized 10.1 pounds (4.5 kilos) of heroin concealed inside a
decorative table foundinside a cargo van, driven by a male U.S. citizen
arriving from the Dominican Republic. The estimated street value of the
seized contraband is $250,000, the agency said in a statement earlier
this week. Ezequiel Tineo Alcala, 45, appeared in U.S. District Court
for charges related to the smuggling and distribution of narcotics.

CBP field operations offi cers conducting inspections of vehicles
that arrived on board the ferry M/V Caribbean Fantasy selected Alcala’s
Ford cargo van for a more intrusive inspection. A CBP K9 alerted agents
to a decorative table inside the van. The table was drilled into,
revealing a residue which tested positive for heroin.

ADRIAN PETERSON SEEN GAMBLING IN PR

From CBS Sports:

Adrian Peterson was in San Juan recently when a fan walked up to him
and took a picture of Peterson playing craps. In Vegas, security might
take your phone for taking photos on the casino floor. In San Juan,
no one seems to care.

Anyway, Peterson has plenty of money to gamble with: He made over
$5 million this year before being suspended without pay. The Vikings
running back was suspended in November after playing in only one game
in 2014.

PR MAY ALLOW HIGHER BOND YIELDS

From Bloomberg:

Puerto Rico lawmakers plan to alter a bill so the Government Development
Bank can offer higher interest rates on a $2.9 billion petroleum-tax-
backed bond sale to increase demand for the debt.

Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla is set by mid-January to sign legis-
lation authorizing the sale, Assembly Representative Rafael “Tatito”
Hernandez said today in a phone interview. Immediately afterward, the
legislature will ease limits on the bonds’ coupon and a provision that
links a petroleum-tax increase to broader tax-law changes, Hernandez said.

“The language of the bill has some ties between the tax reform and the
date when the revenue starts and that isn’t supposed to be that way,”
said Hernandez, who chairs the House Treasury Committee. “So we’re going
to change that.”

DOM. REP AND PR TO SIGN SWEEPING PACT

From Dominican Today:

Puerto Rico Secretary of State David Bernier said Thursday that
agreements on trade, on exchange of information and education with
Dominican Republic to be announced next week will bolster both
economies, EFE reports.

"The benefit here is reciprocal. They are our immediate neighbors
and that in itself makes it a natural partner and collaborator. We
have many opportunities if we make a concerted work to strengthen
the economy," the senior Puerto Rican official told EFE.

Puerto Rico governor Alejandro García Padilla together with Dominican
counterpart Danilo Medina will present on Tuesday the conclusion of
a joint effort aimed at increasing trade, education and information
exchange.

BANKRUPTCY FILINGS DOWN 20% IN DECEMBER

From News Is My Business:

Bankruptcy filings were down 20 percent year-over-year in December,
when a total of 839 cases were filed, according to preliminary figures
released Thursday by research firm Boletín de Puerto Rico. When compared
to December 2013, the results showed there were 205 fewer cases filed
last month.