Burlington man describes ‘overwhelming and exhausting’ detainment in Dominican Republic

A Burlington man who was held in the Dominican Republic for 71 days on false drug charges is finally home.

David Bennett says he’s grateful to be back in Canada with his wife Jane, following what he called an ‘overwhelming and exhausting’ experience.

It took five weeks for the drug charges against Bennett to be dropped, and another five weeks for him to be allowed out of the country.

Bennett finally returned home last Friday, which comes as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) says they’ve made arrests in the case.

Back in March, the man from Burlington had taken what he thought would be a relaxing vacation with his wife, Jane Wilcox, and his friends to the Dominican Republic.

But when they arrived at the airport to return home, Bennett wouldn’t be getting on the plane.

He was taken to a holding cell and eventually was arrested over a bag found at the airport containing drugs – which had a similar name-tag attached to it saying “Davi Bennett.”

WATCH MORE: Burlington man stranded in Dominican Republic after ‘bogus’ drug charges finally home

After working with lawyers in Canada and the Dominican Republic, the charges were finally dropped after five weeks, but Bennett says waiting another five to return home was the hardest part.

“Jane new how much trouble I was in, because I had expressed I was in a lot of trouble,” said Bennett. “She was amazing, she helped will me to the finish line through tough love.”

“It was hard, but I needed it, because I was literally doubting whether I was going to make it to the finish line. It’s hard to believe because of the fact that I was innocent, but I didn’t have faith in the process there and in the back of my mind I felt like I was never getting out of there,” said Bennett.

“It was a surreal kind of feeling because I knew I was innocent, but I still felt like I had been forgotten in many ways by the system there,” said Bennett.

At least two people have been arrested by the RCMP in the case – in a statement to CHCH News the RCMP said investigators have identified and arrested “individuals” in the matter, but can’t provide specifics.

The statement also reads, “tampering with baggage tags is an activity that may be carried out by airport insiders cooperating with smugglers. The insiders switch tags without the knowledge or consent of the traveller.”

WATCH MORE: ‘Living nightmare’: Wife of Burlington man accused of Dominican Republic drug trafficking speaks out