During a joint operation at Punta Cana International Airport, authorities arrested a 29-year-old Nigerian man of Italian nationality attempting to smuggle narcotics orally into Paris, France.
The arrest was carried out by investigators from the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD) and members of the Specialised Airport Security Unit (CESAC), in coordination with the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The suspect was detained in the terminal’s boarding area and, following standard procedure, a foreign object was found in his digestive tract, the department said in a statement.
He was immediately transferred to a local health center where a specialized doctor supervised the extraction process of the hidden substance.
Medical experts found a total of 72 pills believed to contain cocaine in the man’s stomach, with the substance seized weighing approximately 1.361 kilograms (2.99 pounds).
The Public Prosecutor’s Office and the DNCD have launched an investigation to determine whether other individuals were involved in the thwarted international drug trafficking operation.
Meanwhile, the foreigner will be transferred to the Permanent Custody Jurisdiction in the province of La Altagracia for further legal proceedings.
As part of the ongoing investigation, the 72 bags have been sent to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) for detailed analysis and confirmation of the composition of the substances.
