Federal Officials: 240 Pounds Of Cocaine Found On Barge In New York
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Federal officials in New York are searching for drug smugglers who they say hid 240 pounds of cocaine on a cargo barge filled with Mexican beer.
The load of drugs was discovered in early January, but federal customs and border agents only announced the seizure for the first time on Thursday.
Agents found 100 bricks of cocaine with an estimated value of $5 million, hidden among cases of beer being shipped to Canada.
Officials said the drugs were discovered during a routine inspection of the barge when it made a stop at a terminal on Staten Island.
Investigators haven't made any arrests yet, but Robert Perez, the director of New York operations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said he's glad to have the drugs off the street.
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