Portuguese national apprehended with cocaine sheets at Punta Cana Airport

Punta Cana.- Agents from the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD) and the Specialized Airport Security Corps apprehended a Portuguese national at the Punta Cana International Airport (AIPC) as he attempted to depart for Brussels with two suspected cocaine sheets.

The arrest unfolded during routine inspection duties within a terminal section, aided by canine units, where irregular substances were detected inside a suitcase with a concealed compartment. Upon seizing the luggage, authorities, accompanied by the acting prosecutor, uncovered a hidden compartment containing two foil-wrapped sheets weighing approximately 2.6 kilograms, presumed to be cocaine.

The 50-year-old foreigner, suspected to be acting as a courier for international drug trafficking syndicates, was apprehended prior to boarding a flight to Brussels.

The Public Ministry and DNCD are intensifying investigations to identify potential accomplices involved in this thwarted drug shipment.

The detainee remains in custody under the jurisdiction of the Prosecutor’s Office of the La Altagracia province for further legal proceedings.

Authorities continue to bolster interdiction efforts against illicit drug trafficking operations across airports, ports, borders, and throughout the national territory. The confiscated substance has been forwarded to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) for analysis to determine its composition and weight.