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

[SuziQ]

Dominican Republic’s Hard Rock Hotel to remove liquor dispensers after tourist deaths

https://nypost.com/2019/06/22/dominican-republics-hard-rock-hotel-to-remove-liquor-dispensers-after-tourist-deaths/

 

[Inthedetails]

Unfortunately, perhaps another one....

"A Long Island pizzeria owner joins the growing list of tourists who have died suddenly in the Dominican Republic.

Vittorio Caruso, 56 of Glen Cove, died June 17 while staying at the Boca Chica Resort in Santo Domingo, the US State Department confirmed to Fox News Friday.

His sister-in-law, Lisa Marie Caruso, said he was in good health when he suddenly went into respiratory distress after 'drinking something....'

'It is very hard to get a straight story from anyone there,' she said. 'They even wanted to cremate the body. We insisted on having the body sent back here.'”

https://nypost.com/2019/06/22/long-...latest-american-to-die-in-dominican-republic/

 

[human]

What does anyone make of the fact that these deaths are from different resorts.

 

[Annie Okie]

Have there been investigations into any other possible sudden deaths, especially with similar circumstances or the same resorts, in travelers from other countries/continents?

 

[BostonBlackie]

What does anyone make of the fact that these deaths are from different resorts.

The fact that they're at different resorts does throw a wrench in some theories but I'm still curious about the FBI alcohol testing. There is a ton of bootleg alcohol sold really cheap in the DR and who knows what's in it. A lot of bootleg liquor in those countries contains high levels of poisonous methanol and all of the symptoms I've seen are consistent with methanol (or some other kind of) poisoning. At first I thought maybe the resorts were buying black market liquor to save money, but being that the deaths are still occurring (and I can't imagine the resorts would still be buying the bootleg stuff at this point), part of me wonders if staff members were stealing liquor and replacing it with the bootleg stuff. Liquor is expensive down there and for a poor entry level employee, there is a significant amount of money to be made. Of course that's total conjecture on my part and just a theory; but either way I think we're going to see this end up being related to the liquor or some other kind of toxic poisoning. IMO of course.

 

[Inthedetails]

The fact that they're at different resorts does throw a wrench in some theories but I'm still curious about the FBI alcohol testing. There is a ton of bootleg alcohol sold really cheap in the DR and who knows what's in it. A lot of bootleg liquor in those countries contains high levels of poisonous methanol and all of the symptoms I've seen are consistent with methanol (or some other kind of) poisoning. At first I thought maybe the resorts were buying black market liquor to save money, but being that the deaths are still occurring (and I can't imagine the resorts would still be buying the bootleg stuff at this point), part of me wonders if staff members were stealing liquor and replacing it with the bootleg stuff. Liquor is expensive down there and for a poor entry level employee, there is a significant amount of money to be made. Of course that's total conjecture on my part and just a theory; but either way I think we're going to see this end up being related to the liquor or some other kind of toxic poisoning. IMO of course.

I still think it could be bootleg booze (as one factor....there isn't necessarily one thing making people sick, but more than one problem). If resorts aren't taking it seriously, bottles could still be in rooms.

Or, the people getting sick and dying are buying drinks from other sources. People on the thread have mentioned mamajuanas being offered to tourists, not from establishments but from individual people selling the drinks.

I don't know the source of what is causing people to die, obviously, but liquor is not something that is found in only one location....it's everywhere at vacation spots. And, honestly, at this point, I'm doubting that establishments are taking this very seriously. The places haven't done much to instill confidence that they care, imo.

If it's a pesticide problem, it could be the bug-control company used by more than one location.

jmo

 

[Sherlockhemlock]

I’m still leaning towards the connection with bootleg alcohol, but are there any cattle ranches nearby? And do they use antibiotics? There is a bovine antibiotic - Micotil - which in small doses will make you sick but in larger doses will kill someone and it looks like a heart attack. I know it’s a stretch but would go towards being deliberate. JMO

 

[human]

The fact that they're at different resorts does throw a wrench in some theories but I'm still curious about the FBI alcohol testing. There is a ton of bootleg alcohol sold really cheap in the DR and who knows what's in it. A lot of bootleg liquor in those countries contains high levels of poisonous methanol and all of the symptoms I've seen are consistent with methanol (or some other kind of) poisoning. At first I thought maybe the resorts were buying black market liquor to save money, but being that the deaths are still occurring (and I can't imagine the resorts would still be buying the bootleg stuff at this point), part of me wonders if staff members were stealing liquor and replacing it with the bootleg stuff. Liquor is expensive down there and for a poor entry level employee, there is a significant amount of money to be made. Of course that's total conjecture on my part and just a theory; but either way I think we're going to see this end up being related to the liquor or some other kind of toxic poisoning. IMO of course.

It does not seem to be that many people spread out over the resorts. Why not just add water?

How much could it be worth for a bit of alcohol here and there?

 

[Gunslinging Granny]

What does anyone make of the fact that these deaths are from different resorts.

Resorts sell a lot of alcohol. Are they using the same bootleg alcohol distributor?

 

[Inthedetails]

Resorts sell a lot of alcohol. Are they using the same bootleg alcohol distributor?

That's my guess at this point. Of course, it's only a guess and other people will have different guesses, I'm sure.

jmo

 

[Gunslinging Granny]

Two weeks ago, there were articles on the web about the 3 bootleg alcohol distributors that sold to the resorts and were shut down in the DR. Now I can't find these articles.

This is an article about bootleg distributors that sell alcohol with methanol to resorts in Mexico.
Mexico police shut down second black market tequila still, investigate whether tainted alcohol headed to resorts

This is an article about the 140 victims from tainted alcohol in Mexico. The State Department stepped in because there were so many victims.
140 victims of Mexico resort blackouts. Now, Congress wants action

 

[Gunslinging Granny]

Read these horror stories about bootleg alcohol poisoning in Mexican resorts. They are extremely similar to the DR stories including the hospital price gouging.
Mexico resort blackouts investigation - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

 

[Gunslinging Granny]

TripAdvisor deleted negative views and tried to cover up the resort horror stories including tainted alcohol reviews.

“A number of my constituents and many other Americans have fallen prey to a tainted alcohol problem in Mexico,” Baldwin said at the hearing. “Many victims have turned to travel rating websites such as TripAdvisor to report their experiences and to warn others who might be traveling to those areas and resorts.
Nominees to Federal Trade Commission vow to investigate TripAdvisor for deleting reviews

Read through travel site reviews. Some Americans have even asked for "bottle service" where an allegedly unopened bottle of alcohol is delivered to their table and even this alcohol was tainted or watered down.

 

[Herat]

It's very weird to read the DR pages on Trip Advisor.

Defenders, attackers all duking it out. Some comments about Trip Advisor's Viator service seem to slip past the TA censors.

I had no idea how many people visit the DR AI's. And there seem to be a hundred of AI's, all sounding very similar. (Punto Alegre, Alegre Verde, Verde Grandissimo, Grandissimo Luxe, Luxe Playa, Playa Rico, Rico Suave.... you get the picture)
<modsnip - criticizing tourists from specific countries and calling them cheap for vacationing at AIs>

 

[Herat]

And this article, cited above, dated Feb 2018 shows STRIKING similarites between the Mexican and DR AI health concerns:

140 victims of Mexico resort blackouts. Now, Congress wants action

Reportedly the US Congress wanted some explanation / action of all these blackouts and deaths at Mexican resorts only last year. And now...... EXACTLY the same scenario

 

[Herat]

What does anyone make of the fact that these deaths are from different resorts.

That the resorts all use the same single large open bottle in their minibar setups and that there may be a common distributor. Or that the personnel who service the minibar area are all in on the same scam. This is probably a fairly lucrative job, especially if you can skim say 50 cc of the real labeled spirit out of every rooms in a 300 room resort - that can add up to about 4 gallons of branded alcohol skimmed in a short time.

Say 4 gallons a week @ $40 a gallon = $160 a week profit. 50cc is roughly the capacity of one of those shot glasses.

Easy, peasy skimming racket.

 

[human]

Resorts sell a lot of alcohol. Are they using the same bootleg alcohol distributor?

Yes. But someone said maybe a poor employee is substituting liquor in the room. Since so few die, it must not be that much of liquor changed. That is why I wonder how it could be worth it for an employee

 

[neesaki]

Just saw that there’s a warning now posted on TripAdvisor’s review page for the Hard Rock Hotel in Punta Cana.

Message from TripAdvisor: TripAdvisor has been made aware of recent media reports or events concerning this property which may not be reflected in reviews found on this listing. Accordingly, you may wish to perform additional research for information about this property when making your travel plans.

HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO PUNTA CANA - Updated 2019 Prices & Resort (All-Inclusive) Reviews (Bavaro, Dominican Republic) - TripAdvisor

 

[human]

That the resorts all use the same single large open bottle in their minibar setups and that there may be a common distributor. Or that the personnel who service the minibar area are all in on the same scam. This is probably a fairly lucrative job, especially if you can skim say 50 cc of the real labeled spirit out of every rooms in a 300 room resort - that can add up to about 4 gallons of branded alcohol skimmed in a short time.

Say 4 gallons a week @ $40 a gallon = $160 a week profit. 50cc is roughly the capacity of one of those shot glasses.

Easy, peasy skimming racket.

Why are more people not dead then?

 

[human]

Good info on Trip Advisor.

Now I want to know how there are glowing reports on airbnb of horrible dumps.

Nominees to Federal Trade Commission vow to investigate TripAdvisor for deleting reviews