Six Dominicans arrested in Puerto Rico, 330 Ks cocaine seized in boat

NEW YORK. – Six Dominicans were arrested Wednesday while allegedly trying to smuggle 330 kilos of cocaine in a fiberglass boat into Puerto Rico, said Police, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The federal agencies said the Dominicans Jairo Torres Balbuena, 29, Jose Manuel Rodriguez, 30, Anheli Regalado, 25, Berner Perreaux Balbuena, 38, Rey Jorge, 52 and Juan Polanco Rodriguez, 35, were arrested and charged with international drug trafficking.

In addition to the cocaine, the agents found one kilo of heroin aboard the small boat, whose occupants were arrested after a field test resulted positive for both drugs.

They added that U.S. agents were made aware of the boat’s presence, which prompted the Coast Guard patrol boat Matinicus’ interdiction.