What started as a wholesome family vacation in Punta Cana quickly turned into a scene from Narcos: The Disney Edition after two Ottawa kids unearthed what they believed to be “pirate treasure” buried in the sand.
“I found a treasure!” shouted young Justin, proudly holding up what turned out to be a tightly wrapped brick of pure cocaine. His father, Ben, quickly joined in, digging furiously like a man who suddenly realized college tuition could be solved in one scoop.
The family’s dream of becoming instant millionaires was short-lived. A resort security guard—who apparently moonlights as Pablo Escobar’s neighborhood watch—alerted police. Within minutes, the family was dragged off kicking, screaming, and still clutching their inflatable flamingo.
Martha, the mother, described the ordeal: “They interrogated us for three hours and then locked us in our room under house arrest. It was like a budget all-inclusive prison package: free minibar, but no freedom.”
Authorities eventually released the family after determining they were just unlucky tourists, not international smugglers. Local police later explained that bricks of cocaine routinely wash up on the shore like seashells, waiting for cartel members to swing by and scoop them up like DoorDash orders.
Martha now warns fellow Canadians: “Do NOT let your kids dig in the sand abroad. Stay by the pool—it’s safer.”
Her husband Ben added: “Yeah, stay by the pool. Worst thing you’ll find in there is urine.”
