Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York | Department of Justice
A former security officer at the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, has been extradited to the United States to face charges related to a cocaine importation conspiracy. Jairo Eliezer Arias Caceres was brought from the Dominican Republic following the unsealing of an indictment that accuses him of organizing a scheme to smuggle cocaine into New York-area airports. Arias Caceres is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. District Judge Robert W. Lehrburger, with the case assigned to U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods.
“Jairo Eliezer Arias Caceres allegedly orchestrated a cocaine smuggling scheme while employed as a security officer at our U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic and as a former security officer at the airport in Santo Domingo,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “While Arias Caceres was supposed to be protecting our diplomats and embassy staff from danger, he was allegedly busy endangering New Yorkers by pumping illegal drugs into our community. Abuse of a position of national trust to traffic in deadly narcotics shocks the sensibilities of New Yorkers and the women and men of our office are committed to bringing those who abuse that trust to justice.”
According to federal authorities, Arias Caceres worked for the U.S. Embassy from 2018 through 2025 after previously serving as a security officer at Santo Domingo Airport for at least seven years. He is accused of using his positions at both locations to run an operation where couriers transported cocaine disguised in duty-free packaging on flights from Santo Domingo into New York area airports.
“The charges against Jairo Arias Caceres are the result of an extensive investigation into a significant narcotics importation conspiracy, led by our Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST),” said HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy. “In coordination with HSI Santo Domingo and multiple federal partners, this investigation successfully dismantled a sophisticated trafficking network responsible for moving dangerous narcotics from the Dominican Republic into the United States. HSI remains committed to protecting the American public by targeting and disrupting the transnational criminal organizations that seek to bring illicit drugs into our communities.”
Federal investigators allege that between April 2023 and December 2023, Arias Caceres recruited couriers, paid for their travel, coordinated logistics with other airport employees, and acted as their main contact throughout their trips.
Arias Caceres faces one count of conspiracy to import narcotics into the United States—a charge carrying a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and up to life imprisonment if convicted.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted significantly with securing his arrest and extradition.
This prosecution falls under an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which brings together agencies in multi-agency efforts aimed at dismantling major criminal networks through intelligence-driven investigations (https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jackie Delligatti and Katherine Cheng are leading this case for the Southern District’s Narcotics Unit.
Authorities emphasize that all charges remain allegations until proven in court.
