Joint RD-US operation seizes 1.6 tonnes of cocaine off Pedernales
The Dominican Republic seized 1.6 tonnes of cocaine in a joint operation with the US Southern Command and the DEA off the coast of Pedernales.
Cocaine from South America intercepted in vessel off Dominican south coast
The Dominican government seized 1.6 tonnes of cocaine on Friday 17 April in a joint maritime operation with the United States, reported diariolasamericas.com on Saturday. The haul was found aboard a vessel intercepted off the coast of Pedernales, in the south of the country.
The operation was carried out by the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD), the United States Southern Command of the Armed Forces, and the anti-drugs agency the DEA. The DNCD spokesman, Carlos Devers, described the result as "one of the most forceful blows against drug trafficking networks and organised crime".
Devers specified that organisations engaged in trafficking "use drug boats equipped with powerful outboard motors and advanced communication technology". The vessel was intercepted following a pursuit on the open sea that resulted in an exchange of gunfire between the crew and military forces, with no casualties reported.
Between four and six people were on board at the time of interception. All managed to escape towards a national park with dense vegetation, according to the DNCD.
The seizure is in addition to around 10 tonnes of drugs seized so far this year, according to official data. Two months ago, Dominican authorities had already announced the seizure of more than two tonnes of cocaine, which was then described as the "largest cargo in the country's history".
That operation took place days after the closure of the DEA office in the Dominican Republic due to suspicions of corruption. A supervisor of the agency was detained in the United States on charges of bribery and visa fraud; the office was reopened the following month.
In a broader context, Washington has maintained a significant naval force in the Caribbean since last September. United States operations against alleged drug boats in the region have already resulted in more than 150 deaths and have generated questions about their legality, as they were carried out without presenting conclusive evidence of drug trafficking.
The Dominican Republic is considered a regular transit point on regional drug trafficking routes, which has prompted an increase in joint operations with United States agencies in recent months.
Source: Google News DO — Crime