The Dominican Republic’s Public Prosecutor’s Office is set to formally level terrorism charges against Ángel del Pino Cuya, a Peruvian citizen operating under the alias Ricardo Casas. The charges stem from a fabricated bomb threat that targeted a Copa Airlines commercial flight departing from Las Américas International Airport (AILA) on January 6, 2026.
Prosecutors allege that del Pino Cuya deliberately placed a phone call warning of an explosive device aboard flight CM299 while it was en route to Panama. This malicious act forced the aircraft into an emergency return to AILA. The ensuing security protocols brought all airport operations to a complete standstill for over three hours, necessitating the diversion of multiple incoming flights and causing widespread operational chaos.
In response to the threat, authorities executed a full-scale evacuation of all passengers and conducted an exhaustive sweep of the aircraft and cargo. The incident demanded a massive, coordinated deployment of national security forces and technical personnel, generating substantial public alarm. Official estimates indicate the false alert resulted in severe economic damages and major logistical disruptions across the aviation sector.
The Prosecutor’s Office will seek a preventive detention order and has moved to classify the case as complex, citing the extreme gravity of the offense, the defendant’s perceived flight risk, potential for evidence tampering, and the high probability of recidivism. The act is characterized as a direct assault on state security and the integrity of civil aviation.
Investigative findings reveal inconsistencies in the defendant’s account; he initially asserted he received the information from a family member, but later altered his statement to claim a friend of a relative was the source. Prosecutors maintain these shifting narratives demonstrate a calculated intent to sow collective panic and disrupt public order, thus fully justifying the application of terrorism charges.