Another Dominican Navy officer nabbed in drug bust(Update)

Santo Domingo.- The National Drugs Control Agency (DNCD) on Thursday announced the arrest of a senior Navy officer in connection with to the ure of 1,860 kilos of cocaine seized neat the coast of Ban (Bani)I, in addition to a civilian, while three others are still on the loose.

It said the three who escaped are presumed to be foreigners, and that former Navy officer Jose Luis Arias Cornelio is being sougth. The DNCD said Arias was also involved in the killing of seven Colombians in Paya, Bani, several years ago.

DNCD president Rolando Rosado, Navy chief of staff Edwin Dominici, and Police chief Jose Polanco provided the information in a press conference.

Rosado said 1,860 kilos of drugs were found in 1,589 packages, seized during a high speed chase lasting more than three hours in Ocoa Bay, and intercepted three miles south of Bani, by a Super Tucano intercept plane and two speedboats.

He said the Dominican authorities conducted the operation on information provided by the United States Coast Guard.

The involvement of Dominican Navy officers and enlistees in drug trafficking has now become commonplace.