The US Coast Guard arrested three Dominicans for drug trafficking off the coast of Puerto Rico. Two men and a woman were caught attempting to smuggle a cocaine shipment estimated at US$20 million into Puerto Rico. The boat was interdicted 45 nautical miles north of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. A US Coast Guard inspection of the vessel found 18 bales, weighing approximately 1,052 pounds that tested positive for cocaine on board.
The three suspects now face possible US federal prosecution on drug trafficking criminal charges.
The interdiction resulted from multi-agency efforts in support of US Southern Command’s enhanced counter-narcotics operations in the Western Hemisphere, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) programs, and the DEA Caribbean Division Financial Investigative Team (FIT).
“This Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation is one of several cases targeting Transnational Criminal Organizations operating out of South America, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico,” said A.J. Collazo, DEA Caribbean Division Special Agent in Charge. “DEA will continue to work alongside other federal agencies as more seizures like this one can be expected.”
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US Coast Guard
21 April 2021