The Dominican Republic continues to increase counternarcotics operations success, playing an instrumental role as a regional leader in dismantling transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and fighting narcoterrorism within the Caribbean. Throughout the past year, the nation executed a series of highly effective and historically unprecedented operations targeting narcotics trafficking, money laundering, and associated illicit activities, consistently surpassing past benchmarks for operational success.
A model of international cooperation
As a key partner of the multinational counternarcotics task force, Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-S), headquartered at Naval Air Station (NAS) Key West, the Dominican Republic exemplifies the power of international cooperation. The long-standing counternarcotics relationship between the Dominican Republic and the United States is built upon a framework of shared intelligence, synchronized operations, and a unified objective — ensuring regional security and disrupting the flow of illicit drugs. The Dominican Republic’s efforts have proven a vital component of the multinational mission to secure maritime and air corridors.
“The unwavering resolve of our Dominican partners is evident in their remarkable achievements,” stated the JIATF-S Caribbean Plans Chief. “Their profound regional expertise and professional execution of complex interdictions serve as critical force multipliers in our shared efforts to counter illicit trafficking. They are an essential element of the regional security architecture.”
2025: A year of unprecedented impact
This collaborative framework yielded exceptional outcomes in 2025. The Dominican Republic’s National Directorate for Drug Control (DNCD), in concert with its Armed Forces and intelligence agencies, successfully confiscated 31.3 metric tons of narcotics within Dominican territory. This impact was further amplified by coordinated operations with international partner nations resulting in an additional 17 metric tons seized. Beyond drug interdiction, Dominican-led collaboration with the U.S. Marshals facilitated the extradition and deportation of 84 international fugitives, further degrading the command-and-control capabilities of several criminal networks.
The JIATF-S Deputy Chief of International Operations praised the efficiency of Dominican forces, and the active integration role played by the Dominican Republic Foreign Liaison Officer to JIATF-S, Major Miguel Alfonso Rivera Bello. “Dominican intelligence responsiveness is highly effective, as demonstrated by recent record-breaking seizures. Dominican and JIATF-S joint efforts have led to cleaner, faster, and more effective operations, ultimately frustrating narco-terrorists attempting to operate around the Dominican Republic.”
Regional synergy
Strategically, the Dominican Republic has remained a strong and steadfast burden-sharing partner to the United States. Though the Dominican Republic is tempting for TCOs as a Caribbean hub for South America narcotics transshipments to U.S. and European markets, Dominican forces have risen to this challenge with increased operational tempo, leading to multiple major maritime narcotics seizures, each exceeding 1,500 kg.
The Dominican Republic has met the challenge of its geography by prioritizing cooperation with regional partners such as Colombia and Jamaica for intelligence sharing and increased maritime patrol aircraft and surface asset support to secure the central Caribbean. To support this momentum, throughout 2025 and continuing this year, Dominican forces have integrated advanced assets including Piraña coastal interceptors, additional Near Coastal Patrol Vessels (NCPVs), and multiple SAFE Rapid Response Vessels. Specialized units including the DNCD Special Reaction Teams and the Dominican Republic Navy (Armada de República Dominicana, ARD) Commandos continue to thwart narco-terrorist plans.
These new capabilities are already bearing fruit. On February 15, 2026, combined Dominican forces including representatives from the DNCD, ARD, Dominican Air Force (Fuerza Aérea, FARD), and the Public Prosecutor’s Office (Ministerio Público) completed their largest maritime drug seizure to date, consisting of 2,049 packages of cocaine, weighing over 2,000 kg.
“The intensive work and dedication of our personnel, bolstered by the invaluable support of our international allies, is the foundation of our success,” stated Vice Admiral José M. Cabrera Ulloa, president of the DNCD. “We will persist in advancing these joint strategies to confront and ultimately eradicate the trafficking of controlled substances throughout the region.”
Strengthening the future
Marking a pivotal moment in the bilateral relationship, JIATF-S Director Rear Admiral Jeffrey Randall visited the Dominican Republic, February 10-13, 2026. The visit, which aimed to thank senior Dominican officials for their drug interdiction successes and strengthen future collaboration between both countries, served as a high-level forum to bolster joint understanding of the region’s security context and identified opportunities for enhanced security cooperation, intelligence sharing, and operational planning to counter illicit trafficking.
“Eighty percent of JIATF-S narco-terrorist interdictions are partner nation led,” noted the JIATF-S Deputy Chief of International Operations. “We rely on steadfast partners and friends like the Dominican Republic to find… and interdict illicit traffickers.”
JIATF-S functions as the coordinating authority for Campaign MARTILLO, a multinational initiative uniting the efforts of more than 20 partner nations from the Americas and Europe. The campaign is focused on interdicting illicit trafficking routes and is supported by U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). The integration of advanced technologies, including the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) capabilities at the JIATF-S Joint Operations Center (JOC), has significantly amplified the effectiveness of these operations, providing enhanced support to partners like the Dominican Republic.
The strategic importance of the Dominican Republic’s counternarcotics achievements extends well beyond statistical metrics. Each successful interdiction reinforces the rule of law and weakens the financial underpinnings of criminal syndicates. By maintaining this high level of shoulder-to-shoulder burden sharing, the Dominican Republic and its partner nations are ensuring a safer, more stable hemisphere for all.
