US citizen linked to marijuana seizure at AILA arrested in Santiago

Santiago.- Agents of the National Directorate of Drug Control (DNCD) and members of the Public Ministry arrested a man who was wanted for his links to the seizure of 17 packages of marijuana at the José Francisco Peña Gómez International Airport of the Americas (AILA).

The man was identified as Luis Xaviel Peralta, a US citizen who was arrested with a judicial warrant as he attempted to leave the country through the Cibao International Airport in Santiago, headed for New York, United States, according to a statement released on Sunday.

The 22-year-old foreigner is reportedly linked to the discovery of a suitcase containing 17 packages of marijuana, seized during an inspection operation at the Las Américas International Airport on January 19, 2024.

“The authorities are continuing to deepen the investigation to determine if there are others involved in this drug trafficking network, dedicated to bringing large quantities of marijuana camouflaged in suitcases and other methods into the country’s airports,” the press release highlights.

The defendant will be handed over to the Public Ministry to face coercion measures for violating Law 50-88 on drugs and controlled substances.