Authorities in the southern Dominican Republic seized more than a ton of cocaine and arrested three suspects, including two foreigners, on Tuesday.

Miguel Medina, spokesman for the National Directorate for Drug Control (DNCD), told a press conference that the operation took place offshore early Tuesday, some 65 km southwest of the capital Santo Domingo.

The cache of drugs, a total of 1,200 kg packed into 1,060 packets, was hidden inside a boat intercepted by the DNCD with the help of boats from the Dominican navy and air force, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard, he said.

"It was necessary to neutralize the boat by shooting several times at the motors, since the vessel's occupants tried to resist capture," Medina said. He did not reveal the suspects' identities, except that the two non-nationals were a Colombian and a Venezuelan.

The Dominican Republic is used as a shipping point for drugs heading from South America to Europe and the United States.

According to official figures, more than five tons of cocaine have been seized in the country so far this year.