David Bennett, a resident of Burlington, Ontario, planned to escape the harsh Canadian winter with a weeklong vacation in the Dominican Republic. However, his trip took a dramatic turn when he was arrested and accused of drug trafficking, leading to an ordeal that left him stranded for over two months in the Caribbean country.

Bennett, along with his wife Jane Wilcox and some friends, was en route home from a resort on March 7 when he was halted at an automated customs gate at Punta Cana airport. Initially believing it to be a misunderstanding, Bennett was taken to an interrogation room where he was shown a picture of a bag with a name that was similar but not his—Davi Bennett instead of David R. Bennett. Although Bennett and Wilcox insisted that the bag did not belong to him, he was charged with trafficking drugs and faced a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison.

“That was really scary, and I was blown away. I was in disbelief that this was happening,” Bennett recounted in a phone interview nearly two weeks after returning home. He described being handcuffed and spending a harrowing night in a cramped cell with other detainees. During this time, he managed to secure legal representation, communicating with his lawyer through Google Translate, while Wilcox paid a $5,000 bail to secure his release.

For the subsequent weeks, Bennett endured a grueling process as he and Wilcox fought to clear his name and secure his return to Canada. Once they received the news that charges would be withdrawn, relief quickly turned to frustration when they were informed of a significant backlog in the system that would delay the official withdrawal for an additional 10 to 15 days. “My mental state was really rough those last five weeks waiting,” said Bennett. “The anticipation and the waiting was really the most difficult part.”

Meanwhile, back in Ontario, Wilcox actively sought support. They connected with their local Member of Parliament, Anita Anand, who was recently appointed as the new foreign affairs minister. On May 15, Bennett learned from Global Affairs Canada that his travel ban had been lifted through a verbal agreement with Dominican authorities, allowing them to book a flight home for the next day.

Bennett described the anxiety he felt even as he boarded the plane, wary until the wheels finally left the tarmac. “Even when I was on the aircraft, even though I was innocent, I had in the back of my mind, ‘What’s going to go wrong here? Like something’s not going to work out,’” he said. After spending a total of 71 days in the Dominican Republic, Bennett returned home, having lost significant weight and accruing over $80,000 in legal fees and accommodation costs.

Back in Canada, Bennett expressed a desire to understand how such a situation unfolded and called for greater transparency from the Canadian government regarding assistance for citizens abroad. He was frustrated by the limited updates from Global Affairs Canada and the Canadian Embassy during his ordeal, stating, “I do believe Canadians deserve better. We need to be way more supportive of our Canadian citizens when they travel.”

For Canadians planning to travel, Bennett advised only taking carry-on luggage when possible and keeping track of luggage tags. He also recommended checking federal travel advisories before selecting a destination.

Remarkably, despite his experience, Bennett has developed an increased desire to travel and explore the world. “I want to live my life and I want to enjoy,” he stated, indicating that his ordeal has not diminished his enthusiasm for travel. “There are so many beautiful places to see in this world, and it hasn’t ruined my want to do more things.”