Authorities in the Dominican Republic have confiscated a substantial quantity of cocaine hidden within a shipment of mangoes and pumpkins intended for Canada. The seizure occurred at a terminal in Boca Chica, within the Santo Domingo province, where law enforcement and military personnel were conducting inspections on export containers.
An X-ray machine identified anomalies, leading to a detailed examination of a specific container. According to an official statement, "In the presence of the acting prosecutor, the container, loaded with mangoes and pumpkins, was opened." It was revealed that the container's floor harboured a double bottom with three compartments concealing 84 packages of cocaine, weighing in at 86.31 kilograms. The National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) verified the substance and its weight.
Cocaine found in the produce shipment / Image: National Drug Control Directorate.
Documentation associated with the shipment indicated its destination was Canada, originating from the port of Caucedo. The National Directorate for Drug Control (DNCD) alongside the Public Prosecutor's Office is pursuing an investigation to pinpoint and detain individuals connected to this smuggling effort.
Source: caribbean.loopnews.com