A resident of Mahaut, Dominica has been sentenced to a $37,000 fine after entering a guilty plea for weapons-related offenses uncovered during a seizure operation at the island nation’s Woodbridge Bay Port. Mara Detouche was taken into law enforcement custody on August 20, alongside a second woman also from Mahaut, after customs and police investigators found 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition and two firearm magazines hidden inside a shipping barrel during a routine inspection of cargo moving through the port.
Following her arrest, Detouche appeared before a Dominican court to answer the charges, formally admitting responsibility for her role in the incident. In a departure from immediate custodial sentencing, the court granted the defendant permission to settle the fine through structured installment payments. The first payment is scheduled to begin next week, with a final deadline of November 30, 2026, to pay the full fine amount. Court documents outline that failure to adhere to the agreed payment schedule could result in a prison sentence of up to nine years for Detouche.
Notably, all charges against the second woman detained during the August 20 police operation have been dropped, with prosecutors confirming that proceedings against her have been formally discontinued. The entire case emerged from a long-running probe by the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force focused on curbing the illegal movement of ammunition and unregulated firearm parts through the country’s primary seaport. Law enforcement officials have not released additional details on the intended destination of the seized weapons components, nor whether additional arrests are expected as the investigation continues.