Crew of Ontario airline detained, interrogated in Dominican Republic after massive drug seizure

The crew of an Ontario airline are among 11 people detained since early April and under interrogation after officials said they seized 200 packages of cocaine at a Dominican Republic airport earlier this month.

According to statement issued to CTV News Toronto by Pivot Airlines, an airline launched out of Toronto Pearson International Airport in 2021, five crew members discovered and reported contraband found on the aircraft, bound for Toronto, while grounded at the Punta Cana airport on April 5.

The Dominican Republic’s National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD) said that eight packages, each containing 25 smaller packages of cocaine, totalling 200 packages, were located in the aircraft’s control compartments after an in-depth search.

Pivot confirmed the entire crew was detained. In total, nine Canadians residents, one Indian resident and one Dominican resident have been detained.

“The Public Prosecutor's Office and the DNCD are keeping several persons under investigation, who are being interrogated to determine their possible implication,” a press release issued by Dominican authorities on April 6 said.

On Tuesday, Pivot said that the Dominican court has “decided to improve the conditions for [their] crew, and have outlined a process for their eventual release from detention.”

“We are grateful for the decision and are working diligently to secure their release,” the airline said.

When reached for comment, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada told CTV News Toronto they were “aware” of the detention, but that further details couldn’t be provided due to privacy considerations.