DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – In a significant interdiction operation, a Croatian citizen has been apprehended by the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD) in collaboration with the nation’s Public Ministry. The arrest is directly connected to a major narcotics seizure at Las Américas International Airport (AILA).
The individual, identified as 44-year-old Ivana Ljubek, was intercepted by law enforcement in the departure terminal. The arrest, executed under warrant No. 2026-AJ0010503, occurred as she was preparing to board an international flight destined for Frankfurt, Germany.
Investigative findings indicate Ljubek’s alleged involvement with a prior incident this month, where a 21-year-old male Croatian national was detained. The earlier arrest followed the discovery of 14 packages of cocaine, expertly concealed within a backpack, during a routine airport security screening.
Authorities are now pursuing an expanded investigation to uncover potential connections to a sophisticated international drug trafficking syndicate. Preliminary evidence suggests the network may be actively recruiting couriers from diverse nationalities to facilitate the transport of illicit substances to key destinations, including the United States and European nations. The Dominican Republic is suspected of being utilized as a critical transit hub for these operations, pointing to a potentially vast multinational criminal structure.
Following her detention, Ljubek has been formally placed under the jurisdiction of the Permanent Attention Court to undergo legal proceedings. The DNCD and the Public Ministry have jointly reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to intensifying counter-narcotics operations and combating the pervasive threat of transnational organized crime.