DNCD seizes 162 ceramic lemons filled with Cocaine

Santo Domingo.- In a recent operation at Las Americas International Airport, the Dominican Republic’s National Directorate for Drug Control (DNCD) seized 162 ceramic pieces resembling lemons, filled with a total of 10 kilograms of cocaine. This innovative smuggling attempt was detected by DNCD agents, with support from the Specialized Security Corps (CESAC) and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, during routine inspections in the airport’s cargo area.

Suspicious images were initially identified through an X-ray scan, prompting a canine unit to further inspect the shipment, which had been en route to Belgium. The ceramic “lemons” were confirmed by the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) to contain cocaine.

Authorities traced the shipment to a company based in Las Matas de Santa Cruz, Monte Cristi, with a listed destination in Belgium. The DNCD and Public Prosecutor’s Office have launched an investigation into this elaborate trafficking method, emphasizing both the heightened vigilance of law enforcement and the evolving tactics of international drug networks.