SANTO DOMINGO.- Local antinarcotics (DNCD) agents helped by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arrested the ringleaders of a Dominican-Colombian narcotics trafficking ring who for years received and traded cocaine in the country, and how had laundered millions of dollars in area businesses.

The bust is the latest of a series of arrests and seizure of drugs announced after DNCD president Rafael Ramirez pledged to reveal a major bust two weeks ago.

The DNCD said it’s one of the most important cases it has investigated since 2007, and recently disclosed by the antidrug entity’s chief.

Since last year both the DNCD and DEA had detected illegal transactions through the Valher money exchange house, located on the Lope de Vega avenue.

"The DEA’s intervention, as well as the Customs Agency, allowed the arrest in New York of a key person who received high sums in the United States, as well as the seizure of nearly 500,000 dollars and the arrest of three other people who tried to travel to Panama with the money adhered to their bodies," Ramirez said.

At least 10 suspects are being held in Najayo jail and the La Victoria penitentiary pending charges. One of the ring’s heads was identified as Tomas Valdez, the exchange business executive, and whose son also identified as Tomas Valdez was arrested in New York suspected of participating in the same activity.