U.S., local agents arrest 3 men at sea in major drug haul

Santo Domingo.- The National Drugs Control Agency (DNCD) on Tuesday arrested a Dominican, a Colombian and a Venezuelan, while trying to smuggle1,060 1,110 kilos of cocaine at Punta Salina, Bani, Peravia Province, in a joint operation between U.S. and Dominican authorities.

DNCD spokesman Miguel Medina said the three men were spotted aboard a speedboat, and are being questioned at agency headquarters. "The substance seized in the blue, twin-engine boat, type Eduardoño, was in a secret compartment, divided into 42 bales with 25 bricks each, two bales with 28 bricks and two of 27 bricks, for a total of 1,060."

He said one of the three detainees, a Venezuelan national, was slightly injured from gunfire in the operation.

Medina said the operation on the sea, by air and land was the result of effective coordination between the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Dominican Navy, Air Force, Army and the DNCD

He said the three men were taken to the Las Calderas Naval Base, Bani and to DNCD headquarters from there.