Punta Cana—Technicians from the Plant Quarantine Inspection Service (AIPC) of the Ministry of Agriculture seized a stash of fruits, vegetables and meat from Spanish artist Julio Iglesias at the Punta Cana airport, in Higüey.
In Iglesias' luggage, inspectors found 42.16 kilograms of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, tomatoes, beets, celery, beans, spinach, lettuce, mushrooms, arugula and chicken meat that he tried to bring into the Dominican Republic.
The internationally renowned artist was caught with the cargo coming from the Bahamas on flight number N768JJ last Wednesday night when he was trying to smuggle the fruits and vegetables seized in his luggage.
The director of Plant Health of Agriculture, Rosa Lazala, gave the information through the Department of Public Relations. Lazala did not provide the name of the Spanish artist who brought the fruits and vegetables from the Bahamas but he was identified by airport sources.
These sources said that Iglesias is a repeat offender of bringing fruits and vegetables from other nations into the country.
He said that the country's Health and Quarantine technicians reinforced surveillance and inspection, prior control and control of luggage and of all passengers in the ports and airports of the national territory.
He indicated that the Ministry of Agriculture is also applying these controls at land border entry points to guarantee that no product of animal or plant origin enters the country that could endanger national production.