Coast Guard Offloads $19 Million In Cocaine
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The U.S. Coast Guard returned to port in Miami Beach Monday morning with millions of dollars of seized cocaine in tow.
The Coast Guard confiscated 1,250 pounds of cocaine about 305 miles off the coast of Cocos Island, Costa Rica on May 29. The crew seized the drugs and detained six people who were on the go-fast boat when the Coast Guard caught up with it.
"This is a big take down. This continues to highlight the success of the Coast Guard and federal partners in combating the war on drugs," said U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Gabe Somma.
The Coast Guard said the suspects were transferred to Drug Enforcement Administration officials in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The drugs, with an estimated street value of $19 million, was then brought to Miami Beach and offloaded Monday.
"I think $19 million worth of cocaine is a big seizure we are going to continue to keep working to stop drugs from going into this country," Lt. Cmdr. Somma said.
According to the Coast Guard last year 2012 they confiscated 124,000 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $112 million. In cocaine, the Coast Guard confiscated 236,000 pounds worth an estimated $3.5 billion.
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