Venezuela arrests Interpol detective over cocaine haul
Venezuela arrests Interpol detective over cocaine haul
5 April 2016
Interpol's chief detective in Venezuela has been arrested over allegations he was involved in shipping 349kg (770lb) of cocaine to the Dominican Republic.
Eliecer Garcia Torrealba, 42, is accused of using his post to allow a plane laden with the drug to take off from Barquisimeto in western Venezuela.
Dominican police searching the Cessna plane found three suitcases and two bags filled with cocaine.
Sixteen people are being held in connection with the case.
Prosecutors say Chief Detective Garcia Torrealba "co-ordinated the necessary actions inside the airport in Barquisimeto to allow the plane laden with cocaine to take off".
. . .
Among the other people arrested are five members of the Venezuelan military and three airport security officials.
A Venezuelan businessman, Pablo Cardenas, has also been detained on suspicion of being the mastermind behind the cocaine shipment
More:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35970609