3 Canadians busted for cocaine

Three Canadian women who frequently visited the Dominican Republic were arrested in Santo Domingo and almost 40 pounds of cocaine was seized, police said. A minibus traveling to the Punta Cana International Airport, where the women were scheduled to fly home to Toronto, was stopped Wednesday, the Dominican Today newspaper reported. National Drugs Control Agency spokesman Lebron Roberto said the women, two age 29 and the third 38, were searched and 1,382 capsules of cocaine were allegedly found taped to their bodies. He said there were local arrests in the investigation as well. "The actions of those citizens were being watched for some time, taking into account the frequency in which they came to Dominican Republic as alleged tourists," he said. "The same was done with several Dominicans, mostly women, and in fact the evidence shows that it's a narco-trafficking network." Agency spokesman Capt. Victor Almonte told the Toronto Star if convicted, the women could be sentenced to 10 years in prison. The cocaine has a street value in Toronto of $600,000, the Star said.