Durrant Pate/Contributor

The Directorate General of Customs for the Dominican Republic on Monday (August 8) seized US$879,020 at the Gregorio Luperón Airport in the province of Puerto Plata.

The amount, equivalent to almost 48 million Dominican pesos, arrived in the country by general aviation, coming from The Bahamas and distributed in several suitcases. The illegal cash shipment was detected when the passengers passed their luggage through the x-ray machine.

According to a press release issued by the local customs authority, the detection of the illegal cash was possible because members of Customs, the Specialized Airport and Civil Aviation Security Corps (Cesac), and the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD) noticed a suspicious profile in the luggage of one of the passengers.

Hence, they proceeded to the manual check, where a large amount of money was found. The agency has advised that two Bahamian nationals piloted the aircraft, where the assets were transported.

Passengers detained

In addition, there were five passengers, a Haitian woman, and four Bahamian men. The Dom Rep Customs authority has disclosed that all passengers and crew aboard the plane were detained and taken by the authorities to be brought to justice.

The Customs authorities carried out the counting of the money in the presence of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.