A Peruvian national has been sentenced to 12 months of preventive detention for triggering a false security alert that severely disrupted operations at Las Américas International Airport (AILA) in Santo Domingo. The Judicial Office of Permanent Attention Services of Santo Domingo Este issued the ruling at the request of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Ángel del Pino Cuya stands accused of activating emergency protocols on January 6, 2026, by falsely reporting an explosive device aboard Copa Airlines flight CM-299 destined for Panama. The aircraft, which was already airborne with passengers and crew, was forced to return to the airport following the threat.
Investigations reveal that the security breach occurred through a telephone call placed to Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI (Aerodom), immediately triggering comprehensive security measures. These protocols included the aircraft’s emergency return, thorough security inspections, temporary suspension of all airport operations, and diversion of incoming flights to alternative terminals. Subsequent investigations confirmed the threat was entirely fabricated.
Prosecutors Andrés Mena and Ana Sánchez successfully argued before the court that preventive detention was essential to ensure the defendant’s presence throughout judicial proceedings. Law enforcement authorities subsequently apprehended Del Pino Cuya in the Los Girasoles sector of the National District, where crucial evidence related to the case was seized and incorporated into the official investigation.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office emphasized that such actions transcend mere public alarm, directly impacting critical national infrastructure and aviation security. This elevation of the case to national security significance reflects the serious nature of the offense.
The defendant faces provisional charges under multiple legal frameworks, including articles 3, 63, and 78 of Law 188-11 on Airport and Civil Aviation Security, which penalize unlawful interference and communication of false information endangering aircraft safety. These charges carry potential sentences of 3 to 10 years imprisonment. Additionally, he is accused of violating articles 11 and 30 of Law 267-08 on Terrorism, which stipulate penalties of up to 40 years incarceration.
Under the order of Judge Karen Casado Minyety, Del Pino Cuya will serve his pretrial detention at the Las Parras Correction and Rehabilitation Center while judicial proceedings continue.
