Over 1000 kilos of cocaine seized in LR airport

SD. One thousand seventy seven (1,077) kilograms of cocaine were seized in the dawn hours yesterday in the La Romana International Airport, the National Directorate for Drug Control (DNCD) reported last night.

The spokesman for the DNCD, Roberto Lebron, described how the drugs were found distributed in 20 suitcases, which contained a total of 1,002 packages of drugs. In relation to the case there are two foreigners under arrest, which are presumed to be pilots, and 15 members of the DNCD and the Specialized Corps of Airport Security (CESA) have been detained.

The anti-narcotic agency did not specify the type of aircraft that would transport the drugs, nor did they offer any details as to where the place came from or its registration (tail) number. Lebron limited his comments to say that the suitcases were found in the area of private flights (General Aviation) at the airport and that the shipment would be taken to Europe, but he did not say which country.

In the meantime, he indicated that the foreigners that were arrested are the Dutchman Nicolass Joannes Maria and the Englishman Rowson Edgard. At the same time, the personnel from the DNCD and the CESA were not identified.

Lebron underlined the fact that the stash was seized at around 4:00 o'clock in the morning by the Tactical Division of Sensitive Investigations, which acted in collaboration with agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from the United States.

In a press communiqué regarding the case that was delivered to the reporters, the DNCD said that "there is no doubt that the operation was carried out in complicity with the personnel assigned there by the different institutions."

The DNCD spokesman said that within a few hours he would offer more details on the case after the investigations are further along.

The third in a week

It will be remembered that on Monday, the DNCD found 128 packages of cocaine in a container with a double ceiling.

Two day later, the anti-drug agency seized a shipment of plantains (rulos) before it was sent to New York, where they found 117 of the fruit filled with cocaine in a container, during a routine inspection at the airport at Las Americas.

The drugs were packaged in the installations of a company identified as "Compañía Vegetales Santiago" located in Moca, on the Monte de Jagua St., according to a press release issued on Wednesday by the DNCD. Three persons were detained and placed under investigation and it was said that others will be called shortly.

In the same way, on Thursday of last week, the authorities found 17 packages of cocaine inside a plane that was heading to Puerto Rico.