The recent seizure of a cocaine and heroin consignment from a luxury yacht docked in Casa de Campo Marina has led to the arrest of six people, including four who were on board the vessel, The Kingdom, with alleged links to the First Lady of Venezuela, Cilia Flores. Two other men, the suspected ringleaders, were arrested at a food establishment in La Romana.
Diario Libre reports that the ship is thought to belong to Francisco Flores de Freitas, a nephew of the Venezuelan First Lady.
On board, 50 packages weighing a total of 52 kilos tested positive for cocaine. Another four weighing 2 kilos tested positive for heroin.
The yacht was bound for Miami.
As reported, Francisco Flores de Freitas and Efrain Campo Flores, nephews of the First Lady of Venezuela Cilia Flores, were arrested in Haiti last week and deported to the US where they face drug trafficking charges.
Meanwhile, the Dominican authorities searched a vacation villa in Casa de Campo, of which Francisco Flores de Freitas is one of the shareholders of the Naranjo company that owns the villa, after the drugs were found on board the yacht. The Naranjo company also owns the yacht, The Kingdom, which is registered in The Bahamas.
The six Dominicans arrested in the case were named as Martires Altagracia Medina, Victor Julio Sarmiento Contreras, Marino Franklin Berroa Mercedes, Luis Manuel Arias Acosta, Fausto Ernesto Severino Marte and Luis Alfredo de Castro.
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/justicia/seis-detenidos-por-caso-sobrinos-primera-dama-de-venezuela-BA1882300