Coast Guard Seizes $24 Million In Cocaine
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – While snow may be causing major problems in the Midwest, a different kind of 'snow' has fallen on Key West.
On Monday, the crew of the Coast Guard cutter Legare dropped off an estimated $24 million in cocaine to Homeland security officers in Key West. They also turned over four suspected drug smugglers.
On February 28th, a Coast Guard C-130 was on routine patrol in the western Caribbean when its crew spotted a 'suspicious' go-fast vessel.
The crew of the cutter Legare intercepted the boat and found 39 bales of cocaine on board along with the four individuals who were taken into custody.
Over the weekend the Coast Guard turned over half a million dollars worth of marijuana and one suspected smuggler to the feds in Key West.
The drugs were seized after the crew of a Customs and Border Protection aircraft on routine patrol spotted a suspicious go-fast vessel with five persons aboard in the Western Caribbean Sea.
The Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk was sent to check it out. When they pulled up to the boat, they reportedly spotted the suspected smugglers dumping their cargo overboard.
A total of 68 packages were recovered from the water which tested positive for marijuana.
Four of the suspected drug smugglers were transferred to another Coast Guard cutter which delivered them to the Jamaican Defense Force.
The bales of pot and the fifth suspect were brought to Key West on Saturday.
