Authorities seized 454 packages of drug in the province of La Altagracia, during an operation in which five men, all Dominicans, were arrested.
Members of the National Directorate for Drug Control (DNCD) and the Navy of the Dominican Republic, supported by state intelligence agencies and under the coordination of the Public Ministry, activated a maritime and land interdiction operation, after receiving reports that a Go Fast-type boat, with several occupants, intended to leave the Dominican territory to Puerto Rico, with an undetermined quantity of controlled substances.
Realizing the presence of naval units and interceptor boats, the individuals turned back until they reached the edge of the beach, causing a land chase, which minutes later resulted in the seizure of 16 sacks containing 454 packages.
The chase lasted just over 10 hours and the location of other members of the international drug trafficking network is activated.
“According to the investigations, it is a criminal structure that operates in the eastern part of the country and uses speedboats to traffic drugs between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico,” states a press release issued by the DNCD.
The authorities reported that the joint operation also seized a 26-foot boat, a 75-hp outboard motor, five cell phones, personal documents and other evidence.
The 454 packages were sent under chain of custody to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences, which will determine the exact type and weight of the substance in its analysis.
According to DNCDso far in the year 2022, three thousand 554 kilograms have been occupied only from cocainemore than 800 pounds of marijuana, hundreds of ecstasy pills, crack and other controlled substances.
