Two Israelis Arrested at Dominican Republic Airport with Cocaine
Two Israeli citizens were arrested at Punta Cana airport in the Dominican Republic with 16 packages of suspected cocaine hidden in false suitcase bottoms before a flight to Germany.
Agents of the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD) in the Dominican Republic arrested two Israeli citizens, a 38-year-old man and woman, after discovering 16 packages of suspected cocaine in their luggage.
The arrest took place in the departure area of Punta Cana International Airport in the La Altagracia province as the two suspects prepared to board a commercial flight to Frankfurt, Germany. According to the official DNCD report, the illicit items were uncovered during routine profiling and baggage screening procedures using X-ray equipment, which flagged suspicious images inside two suitcases.
Inside the first suitcase, authorities discovered a false bottom containing seven packages of the suspected drug, wrapped in adhesive tape and plastic bags. Another nine packages were found concealed in the second suitcase. In addition to the narcotics, security forces seized three mobile phones, electronic equipment, foreign currency cash, passports, and other personal documents that will be analyzed as part of the ongoing investigation.
Legal Proceedings and Forensic Analysis
The detainees were transferred to the custody of the Public Ministry of La Altagracia, which is expected to request coercive measures against them for alleged violations of Law 50-88 on drugs and controlled substances. Meanwhile, the 16 packages were sent to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) to determine the exact type and weight of the substance through expert analysis.
This incident marks the second recent case involving Israeli citizens arrested at the Punta Cana airport on suspicion of attempting to smuggle drugs to Germany. In a previous case, authorities detained an Israeli citizen named Dmitry Roy Fomin who allegedly attempted to board a flight to Frankfurt carrying seven packages of white powder suspected to be cocaine. Dominican authorities are now intensifying their investigations to determine whether an international criminal syndicate is systematically recruiting Israeli citizens to smuggle illicit substances from the country to European destinations.
