US, DR multi-agency cooperation led to major drug bust

Santo Domingo.- The National Drugs Control Agency (DNCD) revealed Tuesday that joinlty with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), meticulously analyze highly sensitive information which could lead to the arrest of what it calls the "contacts and key people" who would receive just over 1,000 kilos of cocaine seized in the Caribbean Sea yesterday, on board a speedboat manned by Colombians.

"We’re working jointly with the DEA all the information found in the possession of the four Colombians, who were arrested, to get to the people who were to receive the 40 bales, each with 25 bricks," DNCD spokesman Roberto Lebron said in a statement, who noted the Dominican Navy’s cooperation.

The major haul of cocaine occurred Monday morning during the ‘Operation Anvil and Hammer’ which also involved U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection, CBP.

He said the drug was seized on a boat with two powerful outboard motors, but didn’t specify if it had sailed from South America.

The detainees Aluchom Castro, Arechelleo Bocaleo Ruben Bucaria and Micton Sretellea were headed to Puerto Rico.

Lebron said DNCD chief Rolando Rosado was was in command of the action at all times, and included the Agency’s elite units.

The pursuit of the vessel began midnight Saturday 280 nautical miles south of Barahona, until the arrest around 4am Monday, according to the statement.

Lebron added that three Navy craft, two US Coast Guard intercept boats, a DNCD helicopter and a U.S. spy plane took part in the operation.