Three Israelis Arrested in Dominican Republic on Drug Smuggling Charges

Two Israeli nationals, aged 38, were arrested on Saturday at Punta Cana International Airport in the Dominican Republic on suspicion of smuggling cocaine in their luggage. They were attempting to fly to Frankfurt, Germany. Dominican authorities are investigating the possibility of a criminal organization recruiting Israelis to smuggle drugs into Europe. The arrests follow the detention of another Israeli tourist on Thursday at the same airport, who was found with seven packages of cocaine hidden in his suitcase, also en route to Frankfurt. During baggage screening, law enforcement officials identified an anomaly, leading to the discovery of 16 packages containing a substance suspected to be cocaine. The two 38-year-old suspects were also found with mobile phones, electronic devices, foreign currency, passports, and personal documents. The 40-year-old tourist arrested earlier was found with seven packages of cocaine. All three arrested individuals have been transferred to the Attorney General's office in the La Altagracia province for legal proceedings on charges of violating drug and controlled substances laws. According to arrest data, at least 14 foreign citizens have been arrested at Dominican airports in 2026 for attempting to smuggle drugs out of the country.