SANTO DOMINGO.-  Dominican drug authorities yesterday said they seek details on the case of raids in Canada where 12 people have been arrested in connection with a drug cartel that operated from Dominican Republic and which could involve the local chapter of the motorcycle gang Hell’s Angels.

After learning that US$3.0 million in cocaine was confiscated, the National Drugs Control Agency’s  (DNCD) Joint Coordination and Research Center (CICC) contacted Canadian authorities to determine the airport, the hour and the days the shipments were sent.

Among those arrested is Jeremy Brown,  30, and Jason McGee, 20, members of the Hell’s Angels, as well as Dale Wyatt, 34, who had been deported to Canada four times.

DNCD spokesman Roberto Lebrón said once it gets the information it will act on the matter. He said it would be determined at all costs which antinarcotics agents were in service in the airports when the drug was transported.

Durham, Canada Police chief Mike Ewles said it was one of the largest drugs and money confiscations in the city’s history.

A simple traffic accident last year alerted the police, which seized 45 kilos of marijuana ready to sell and US$17,000 in cash in one of the vehicles. The resulting 11 month investigation called "project Merlin" culminated Tuesday with a series of raids in which more than 200 police agents participated.

Police seized 26 kilos of pure cocaine, 3 kilos of Oxycontin (trade name of a prescription narcotic), US$445,000 in cash and several assault rifles, other high power weapons and vehicles.