Dominican Republic arrests 8 linked to Venezuela first lady

Santo Domingo.- Thecase of the cocaine and heroin seized on board the Bahamas registry (Y0016) yachtThe Kingdom, allegedly owned by Francisco Flores de Freitas, nephew of firstVenezuela lady, Cilia Flores has led to the arrest of six more people, whocould be arraigned as early as Monday in La Romana (east).

Authoritiesseized 52 kilos of cocaine and nearly two kilos of heroin on the boat, where four of thesix people were arrested. The other two –who allegedly headed the operation- werearrested while in an eatery in La Romana, from where the drugs were to be shippedto Miami.

Quoted by local media, LaRomana prosecutor Richard Guilamo said a total more than US$500, and RD$102,000in cash were seized from the suspects.

Flores de Freitas andCampo Flores nephews were detained in Haiti charged with drug trafficking inNew York on Tuesday.

Dominican authoritiessaid agents raided a villa among whose owners figures Flores de Freitas, after 53kilos of cocaine and two kilos of heroin were found on the posh yacht.

Guilamo told AP thatthe villa located in the resort Casa de Campo is registered to the company "Naranjo,"one of whose shareholders is Flores de Freitas.

He said although the agentsfailed to find drugs in the raid, the villa contained the name of the samecompany that owns the yacht "The Kingdom", registration Y0016,displaying a Bahamas flag. "The yacht is also the name of the samecompany, Naranjo, where Francisco Flores is listed as shareholder, but the caseremains under investigation."