Dominican Republic - American tourists found dead in resorts, same cause of death, 2018/2019

[Tbone144]

It rather sounds like anti-freeze poisoning. But wouldn't it be odd to find anti-freeze in the DR?

Cars use antifreeze in their radiators. Ethylene Glycol tastes sweet but I believe they add tasting agents to keep animals and children from finding it appealing. That doesn’t mean they use the same brands or materials in DR though,

 

[Inthedetails]

"Bride recall disastrous wedding at deadly Dominican resort"

"Massaranduba said her bridesmaid and her 10-year-old nephew were sent to the resort’s clinic and charged hundreds of dollars for the visit in which the doctor did nothing but refer them to the local hospital.

'The doctor was very concerned about how she was going to be paid,' she vented.

'I asked her if she was going to do anything for my husband besides look at him and tell him to go to the hospital?'

Massaranduba added that she’d had no idea at the time that dozens of other guests were getting sick at the hotel that same week."

https://nypost.com/2019/06/14/bride-recalls-disastrous-wedding-at-deadly-dominican-resort/

 

[Inthedetails]

This is interesting:

"Tourist are falling ill at other hotels, mostly in the Punta Cana region, but the Hard Rock accounts for a large percentage of the reported illnesses on the island, according to a website that is tracking such reports — iwaspoisoned.com."

https://nypost.com/2019/06/14/bride-recalls-disastrous-wedding-at-deadly-dominican-resort/

 

[margarita25]

I would like to hear an Infectious Diseases Specialist weigh in...

 

[margarita25]

The media is really running with this. When you type “Dominican Republic” on google, various media articles come up. DP’s tourism is going to take a huge beating, that’s for sure.

 

[Elainera]

I'm starting to ponder whether this might be a money making scheme ... Lets make them a lil bit nauseous and charge them a few hundred to see a doctor, rich tourists, they can afford it ...

 

[SAMS]

Iirc NYC gets water from catskill mountains, suppose to be very good.

The water is amazing in NY.

 

[Gunslinging Granny]

The DR mini bars don't provide tiny, individual bottles like mini bars in American hotels. See the photo. Large bottles provide individual shots. These large bottles are refilled by hotel workers. This creates an easy opportunity for scammers to utilize cheap, toxic liquids as substitutes for expensive alcohol.
https://nypost.com/2019/06/13/autho...quor-as-potential-cause-of-dr-tourist-deaths/

 

[SAMS]

There's a very buff policeman ever 10 feet in NYC. It's safe. There's 38,422 cops.
View attachment 188936

Some are posted up with semi-auto weapons. I always feel safe while in the city. MOO

 

[PrairieWind]

The DR mini bars don't provide tiny, individual bottles like mini bars in American hotels. See the photo. Large bottles provide individual shots. These large bottles are refilled by hotel workers. This creates an easy opportunity for scammers to utilize cheap, toxic liquids as substitutes for expensive alcohol.
https://nypost.com/2019/06/13/autho...quor-as-potential-cause-of-dr-tourist-deaths/
View attachment 188948

Yes this is common in the Caribbean, or just the regular bottles set out on a table. The liquor bottles are topped off by the staff and wine or champagne just replaced. So, while the bottle might say "Absolute" vodka, you have no idea what it really is. Something cheap of course. But in some places, like we have seen in Mexico, it has been replaced with alcohol that is very very cheap, locally produced and contains methanol because there is no quality control in the distilling process.
While the resorts may claim that they buy only from reputable venders, that may not be the case. That might be the hotel's policy, but a single greedy/shady manager or purchasing officer could be telling corporate HQ he is buying quality, but really buying from a local producer, and then just pocketing the difference. The Resort owners will have to go through everything, throw it all out, and put in place new procedures to ensure quality. But even that will be difficult. D.R. has some very serious problems right now and its not something that is going to change soon. Dominicans are wonderful people. But sadly, I would have to say i would steer clear of there for a vacation.

 

[Herat]

The DR mini bars don't provide tiny, individual bottles like mini bars in American hotels. See the photo. Large bottles provide individual shots. These large bottles are refilled by hotel workers. This creates an easy opportunity for scammers to utilize cheap, toxic liquids as substitutes for expensive alcohol.
https://nypost.com/2019/06/13/autho...quor-as-potential-cause-of-dr-tourist-deaths/
View attachment 188948

EXCELLENT WORK, GUNSLINGING GRANNY !

So there is a common bottle dispensing alcohol.

There is no liquor seal to be broken when getting a shot.

No one other than the vendor ever actually sees what the original bottle looks like or if it EVER had a liquor seal. So it would be easy for anyone from the vendor down to the minibar attendant to substitute a fake bottle or dilute it.

The FBI needs to get their hands on the records of the liquor vendor and their service records.

I wonder how long it takes to drain one.

It sure would be easy for the person who stocks the minibar to skim off the intended beverage when opening it and replace it with something else.

And considering the hotels are all making big bucks off of the minibars.....

I see big criminal charges looming in DR and any of the hotel chains that use this kind of equipment.

 

[wary]

I’m confused too what’s off topic. I guess anything other than DR deaths

Complaints about the financing policies of destination weddings.

 

[PrairieWind]

EXCELLENT WORK, GUNSLINGING GRANNY !

So there is a common bottle dispensing alcohol.

There is no liquor seal to be broken when getting a shot.

No one other than the vendor ever actually sees what the original bottle looks like or if it EVER had a liquor seal. So it would be easy for anyone from the vendor down to the minibar attendant to substitute a fake bottle or dilute it.

The FBI needs to get their hands on the records of the liquor vendor and their service records.

I wonder how long it takes to drain one.

It sure would be easy for the person who stocks the minibar to skim off the intended beverage when opening it and replace it with something else.

And considering the hotels are all making big bucks off of the minibars.....

I see big criminal charges looming in DR and any of the hotel chains that use this kind of equipment.

The FBI has no jurisdiction there. They have only provided some assistance at the request of local. I don't foresee any criminal charges to be honest. The D.R. isn't going to arrest and charge anyone. They might find a few scapegoats to charge, but thats all.

 

[katydid23]

The DR mini bars don't provide tiny, individual bottles like mini bars in American hotels. See the photo. Large bottles provide individual shots. These large bottles are refilled by hotel workers. This creates an easy opportunity for scammers to utilize cheap, toxic liquids as substitutes for expensive alcohol.
https://nypost.com/2019/06/13/autho...quor-as-potential-cause-of-dr-tourist-deaths/
View attachment 188948

That is frightening to think about---opening the minibar and having a bottle of , supposedly, Jack Daniels, but really you have no idea what's been poured into that bottle.

 

[PrairieWind]

That is frightening to think about---opening the minibar and having a bottle of , supposedly, Jack Daniels, but really you have no idea what's been poured into that bottle.

When we traveled there I never even thought twice about it before. It was just convenient free booze. (it was all inclusive). Never had a problem. But now, I don't think I would drink it. I suppose it depends on where we were. A place like D.R. or Jamaica or Mexico or something, no. Bahamas, or Cayman, its probably ok.

 

[Herat]

The FBI has no jurisdiction there. They have only provided some assistance at the request of local. I don't foresee any criminal charges to be honest. The D.R. isn't going to arrest and charge anyone. They might find a few scapegoats to charge, but thats all.

I think the hotel chains are going to suffer consequences. And then the DR tourism industry will take a huge hit.

 

[Herat]

That is frightening to think about---opening the minibar and having a bottle of , supposedly, Jack Daniels, but really you have no idea what's been poured into that bottle.

Well, you have the same problem anywhere you are served a beverage unless you open a sealed bottle by yourself. Fortunately, in the US and Canada there are strongly enforced laws about this kind of stuff

 

[human]

I have a wealthy friend who goes to the DR every year with his three kids and the grandchildren. I asked him about this and he said those resorts are not in a desirable area. He was just there in February at his resort which is in a different area

He gets picked up by a taxi. He is given gifts of several liquor bottles, never opened. He does not seem concerned and plans on going there next year in the winter several times.

 

[Gunslinging Granny]

NY Post article stated this:

Of the 470 reported incidents on the website in June, 254 originated at the Hard Rock as of June 11, according to xxxxxxxxxx.
https://nypost.com/2019/06/14/bride-recalls-disastrous-wedding-at-deadly-dominican-resort/

This health crisis could be caused by some substance in bootlegged alcohol, but how does one account for the 10-yr-old that became ill at that DR wedding where so many became ill? Maybe the 10-yr-old's case was some "normal" diarrhea illness? Maybe the 10-yr-old drank alcohol when no one was looking? Was there a food dish cooked in alcohol that the 10-yr-old consumed?

 

[katdai]

It rather sounds like anti-freeze poisoning. But wouldn't it be odd to find anti-freeze in the DR?

Antifreeze is a bit deceiving of a name. It’s also used as a coolant to keep the engine cool in the summer heat.