Three Israelis Arrested in Dominican Republic for Cocaine Smuggling

Three Israeli citizens were apprehended in the Dominican Republic's Punta Cana International Airport in two separate operations while attempting to smuggle cocaine to Germany. All three individuals were scheduled to fly to Frankfurt. According to Diario Libre, citing the Dominican National Directorate for Drug Control (DNCD), two Israelis, aged 38, were arrested on November 14. A scanner detected suspicious items in their luggage, and a subsequent search revealed 16 packages of suspected cocaine hidden in false bottoms of two suitcases. Three mobile phones, electronic devices, foreign currency, and documents were also confiscated. The operation involved DNCD and prosecutor's office personnel, with assistance from airport security, civil aviation, and customs authorities. Two days prior, on November 12, a 40-year-old Israeli man was detained at the same airport, also bound for Frankfurt. Seven packages of suspected cocaine were found concealed in a false bottom of his suitcase, disguised with plywood panels. In total, 23 packages of the substance were seized from the three Israelis. Dominican authorities are investigating whether these incidents are linked and if an international criminal organization is recruiting Israeli citizens to transport drugs from the Caribbean to Europe, though no connection to a single criminal network has been established yet. The seized substances have been sent for analysis to determine their composition and exact weight. The detainees have been handed over to the prosecutor's office of La Altagracia province for further legal proceedings.