Venezuela charges 11 on drug seized in Dominican airport

Caracas.- Venezuela’s Attorney General on Wednesday chargednearly a dozen people, including an Interpol official and five national guards inconnection with a shipment of drugs seized in the Dominican Republic in March, APreports.

Interpol chief detective for Lara state (central) EliecerGarcia Torrealba, 42, and National Guard Sgt. Onesimo RomeroHernandez, 34, were charged with drug trafficking and conspiracy, the JusticeMinistry announced in a statement.

The two were arrested shortly after Dominican authorities apprehendedfive Venezuelans and seized 349 packages of drugs in a Dominican Republic airport,aboard a Cessna 404 aircraft which had taken off from the Venezuela city Barquisimetoon March 24.

Among those arrested in the Dominican Republic is the plane’spilot and a man who allegedly waiting for the cargo at the airport.

"It is presumed that Garcia Torrealba using his position,coordinated the necessary actions within the Barquisimeto airport to ensure theplane departure withthe cocaine," the statement said.

The prosecutors also charged four National Guard sergeantsand three airport security officers with drug trafficking "in the degree ofimmediate cooperators."