Dominican Republic's Southern Coast Faces Escalating Drug Trafficking Threat

Authorities say the southern region of the Dominican Republic, including San José de Ocoa, Barahona, Bahoruco, Tamayo and Vicente Noble, is increasingly used as a major route for international narcotics.

Cartels, primarily from Colombia and Venezuela, employ fast boats and light aircraft to deliver cocaine and marijuana to coastal zones such as Barahona and Baní. The National Directorate for Drug Control (DNCD), the Navy and the Air Force have seized hundreds of packages of drugs in maritime and land operations, reporting large quantities of cocaine and marijuana intercepted.

Local communities report growing extortion, illegal land grabs and a climate of fear, while police presence remains limited. One source warned, “You have no idea what is happening in the deep South,” and noted that “the southern region is one of the main routes used by international drug trafficking.”

A separate commentary highlighted that the discovery of roughly 20,000 illegal plants near Ocoa does not define the province, emphasizing its strong agricultural output of vegetables and fruits for domestic and export markets.