EAST BOSTON — Federal agents cracked open a portable air compressor inside an East Boston apartment and found 5 kilograms of cocaine and $200,000 in cash hidden inside, the Drug Enforcement Administration announced Sunday.

Two Dominican nationals, both illegal immigrants, were arrested in the bust and turned over to ICE Boston for removal proceedings, according to the DEA's New England field division.

5 kg of cocaine and $200K concealed in an air compressor has been seized in East Boston along with a vehicle containing a concealment compartment. Two Dominican National illegal aliens have been turned over to @EROBoston. Thank you to @MassStatePolice for your assistance. @DEAHQ pic.twitter.com/Xhg8n7THuL— DEANewEngland (@DEANEWENGLAND) March 2, 2026

The operation was a joint effort between the DEA and Massachusetts State Police.

Hidden in plain sight

The air compressor, a common portable unit typically used on construction sites, had been modified to conceal the drugs and cash inside its housing. Investigators found it sitting in a bedroom closet of the East Boston residence, tucked among jackets and clothing.

After removing the compressor, agents disassembled the unit on site, revealing the concealed compartment packed with brick-shaped packages of cocaine wrapped in black tape and bundles of cash.

Photos released by the DEA show at least five kilogram-sized bricks of suspected cocaine, several bearing printed logos consistent with drug trafficking organization branding, alongside thick bundles of $100 and $20 bills. Three law enforcement badges from the DEA and Massachusetts State Police sit in the foreground of the evidence photo, underscoring the joint nature of the operation.

Agents also seized a vehicle equipped with a concealment compartment, a common tool used by trafficking networks to transport drugs and money without detection.

A familiar pattern

The DEA did not identify the two suspects by name, disclose how long they had been in the country, or provide details on how they entered the United States.

The bust follows a pattern of federal agencies increasingly publicizing immigration-related drug enforcement in Massachusetts. Earlier this year, two alleged Tren de Aragua gang members were charged in an ATM jackpotting scheme that spanned five New England states, and an illegal Dominican trafficker was busted for the second time at a known Massachusetts drug hotspot.

East Boston, one of Boston's most densely populated neighborhoods and home to a large immigrant community, has been a frequent focus of federal enforcement operations. The DEA thanked Massachusetts State Police and tagged ICE Boston in its announcement, a move that has become routine as federal agencies coordinate immigration and drug enforcement under the Trump administration.

The DEA's post had already drawn hundreds of likes and comments within hours, with several replies referencing the ongoing frustration with Massachusetts judges who have been accused of releasing suspects on minimal bail.

"Maura Healey will have those two dudes back out on the street before you can say 'celebrate diversity,'" one commenter wrote.