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Dominican authorities have seized a total of 1,833 packets of suspected drugs and arrested 13 individuals in two coordinated operations, according to the Dirección Nacional de Control de Drogas (DNCD). The seizures highlight the ongoing battle against narcotrafficking in the Caribbean nation.
In the first operation, a joint air, sea, and land team intercepted a boat south of Punta Salinas, Baní, carrying 1,743 packets: 1,730 presumed marijuana and 13 cocaine. Two Dominican men were arrested. The DNCD noted that this brings total drug confiscations in 2026 to over 23.5 tons.
Simultaneously, at the Aeropuerto Internacional de Las Américas (AILA), agents found 90 cocaine packets hidden in five black bags within the catering area. Eleven people were detained, and authorities are investigating whether the drugs were meant to be loaded onto an aircraft bound for the U.S. or Europe.
In a separate incident, 121 cocaine sheets (31.78 kg confirmed by INACIF) were found hidden in the false bottoms of pineapple boxes destined for Afghanistan via Spain. One man was arrested. This case underscores the evolving tactics of traffickers, who also have hidden drugs in ceramic bananas, coconuts, and cacao shipments.