Dominican Republic confiscates fruit from Julio Iglesias to ‘prevent pests’

Authorities in the Dominican Republic confiscated 42 kilograms of fruits and vegetables from Spanish singer Julio Iglesias after stepping up controls at entry into the country to prevent pests, the Dominican Agriculture Ministry said.

These operations have been intensified by a sporadic infestation of the Mediterranean fly, the presence of which was discovered specifically in Punta Cana in the east of the Dominican Republic, at whose airport the cargo was seized from a famous Spanish singer last week.

“This is not because of him or anyone in particular, this concerns everyone,” assured the Minister of Agriculture of the Dominican Republic, Limbert Cruz, as quoted by the Efe news agency this Monday. The official emphasized that “in all countries of the world, when you come with fruit,” they are checked.

Cruz insisted that security measures had to be tightened due to the anxiety over the Mediterranean flight.

Early Wednesday morning, Julio Iglesias, who was not initially identified, was surprised by the operation when he arrived at Punta Cana airport on a flight from the Bahamas. Authorities seized 42.16 pounds of fruits and vegetables, including strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, tomatoes, beets, celery, beans, spinach, lettuce, mushrooms and arugula, according to reports Friday.

On the same Friday, sources in the Ministry of Agriculture explained to Efe what a risk the introduction of these positions poses for agricultural production in the Dominican Republic.

Authorities in the Caribbean country are stepping up efforts to detect pests that may be entering the country, with controls being tightened at ports, airports and borders. The goal is to protect local production from pests and prevent commercial partners from imposing restrictions on Dominican products.