In Santiago, authorities seized 880 sheets of suspected cocaine concealed in the lids of cardboard boxes during a joint operation involving agents from the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD) and members of the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The seizure took place following a raid in the La Rinconada neighborhood, targeting an apartment complex believed to be a hub for narcotics storage and distribution.
The operation was initiated after intelligence reports indicated the presence of a suspected drug trafficking network in the area. Law enforcement agents and prosecutors, acting on warrant 2024-AJ0029787, conducted a search of an apartment in the Leslie Marie Tower, located on 8A Street. They also inspected an adjacent van registered to the apartment, where the concealed packages were ultimately discovered.
Upon examination, authorities found 262 unassembled cardboard boxes with false bottoms, concealing a total of 880 brown-colored sheets wrapped in adhesive tape, weighing approximately 230 kilograms. The structure of the boxes had been modified, allowing the narcotics to be hidden within the lids, a technique used to evade detection by airport and port security.
The authorities are actively pursuing David Alfredo Montan Tavarez, known as “El Compa,” and another individual believed to be connected to the case. Both men are being urged to turn themselves in to face charges. Additionally, three other individuals are currently under investigation for potential involvement in the operation.
The DNCD and the Public Prosecutor’s Office stated that the case may be linked to other recent drug seizures in Santiago involving similar smuggling methods. Officials noted that this international trafficking network allegedly operates in the northern region of the Dominican Republic, using agricultural product shipments as cover to transport narcotics to the United States and Europe.
