Drug Seizure in the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic’s National Drug Enforcement Agency (DNCD) reported on Monday the seizure of 806 packages of suspected cocaine during a collaboration with U.S. authorities, as part of Operation Southern Spear.
According to the DNCD, the drugs were transferred to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine (INACIF) for analysis to confirm the type and weight of the shipment.
In their announcement, the DNCD stated that this was the second joint operation with the U.S. under Operation Southern Spear. The success of this operation was attributed to the combined efforts of the Dominican Narcotics Directorate, the Army, Air Force, along with the U.S. Joint Interagency Task Force Southern (JIATF South) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The suspected cocaine was intercepted near the coast of Pedernales, Dominican Republic. Authorities managed to disable a 27-foot boat equipped with two outboard motors. The DNCD noted that the pursuit was based on intelligence that indicated the boat was en route to the Dominican Republic containing a significant drug haul. This led to a continuous chase lasting several hours until response teams caught up with the vessel several nautical miles south of Isla Beata.
Three Dominican nationals were detained during the operation and are facing charges related to the Narcotics and Controlled Substances Act. Additionally, authorities confiscated items like a satellite radio, GPS, personal documents, and two mobile phones as evidence.
Furthermore, the DNCD is investigating if these seized drugs are linked to another shipment taken over the previous weekend during the first joint operation under the same effort.
On Saturday, the DNCD revealed that two men had been arrested while attempting to transport around 484 cocaine packages in a separate incident, also related to Operation Southern Spear. During this operation, they interrupted two individuals who were trying to carry 18 bags containing drugs wrapped in tape with various logos, on a speedboat that lacked identification or registration.
According to media reports, the boat had set sail from South America for the Dominican coast. Authorities were alerted and implemented early response measures, which led to the neutralization of the ship, the arrest of its crew, and the recovery of nearly 500 kilograms of hidden drugs.
The DNCD source mentioned it is currently challenging to ascertain whether the earlier shipment originated from Colombia or Venezuela. Rumors suggest the 484 confiscated packages included close to 500 kilograms of narcotics.
Last week, Army Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Operation Southern Spear, a U.S. Southern Command-led military initiative aimed at combating narco-terrorists in the Western Hemisphere. This has been part of broader U.S. efforts to control the influx of dangerous drugs into the country, with a notable military presence deployed in Caribbean international waters to confront drug traffickers.
Hegseth remarked, “This mission is to protect our homeland, rid our hemisphere of narco-terrorists, and shield our nation from the drugs that are harming our people.”
