Nigerian arrested at Dominican Republic airport with 72 drug pellets in stomach

A 29-year-old Nigerian man holding Italian nationality was apprehended at Punta Cana International Airport in the Dominican Republic.

The man, whose identity remains undisclosed, was caught attempting to smuggle narcotics to Paris, France by ingesting 72 drug pellets.

The arrest was the result of a meticulous joint operation involving agents from the National Directorate of Drug Control (DNCD) and members of the Specialised Airport Security Corps (CESAC), in coordination with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, as reported by Loop News.

The suspect was intercepted in the airport’s boarding area, where routine security protocols revealed the presence of foreign bodies in his digestive tract. Acting swiftly, authorities transferred him to a local health center. There, specialist doctors carefully extracted the concealed substances from his stomach.

The medical team recovered a total of 72 pellets, which are believed to contain cocaine. The seized narcotics weigh approximately 1.361 kilograms (2.99 pounds).

Following the extraction, the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the DNCD launched an extensive investigation to uncover any potential accomplices involved in this thwarted international drug trafficking operation.

The suspect is currently being transferred to the Permanent Care jurisdiction of La Altagracia province, where he will face further legal proceedings.

In a crucial step of the investigation, the 72 drug pellets have been sent to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) for detailed analysis to confirm the composition of the substance.

This incident highlights the ongoing efforts and coordination among international law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking and ensure airport security.