Report: 4 in drug case ´linked´ to Venezuela first lady off to a Dominican jail

Santo Domingo.- The LaRomana Permanent Attention Court on Monday sent four of the six suspects in theconfiscation of the more than 100 kilos of drugs on a yacht at Casa de Campo Marinato one a year pretrial detention, a case that has been linked a nephew of Venezuelafirst lady Cilia Flores, local media report.

Judge Abraham NicolasSaldivar, who partially ruled for the prosecution´s request, sent the boat´scaptain Luis Manuel Arias Acosta, Franklin Marino Berroa Mercedes, José LuisAlfredo Castro and Ernesto Severino Fausto Marte to prison until trial.

The judge, who set bondat RD$50,000 for boat cook Victor Julio Sarmiento and RD$30,000 for deckhandMartires Medina Altagracia, barred the media from the hearing.

The boat they were arrestedlast week four occupants and two by court order in a restaurant.

Guilamo declinedcomment when asked by Diario Libre if the drug found on the yacht is linked to Francisco Floresde Freitas, nephew of Venezuela´s First Lady.