U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents with the Air and Marine Operations division seized $17 million of cocaine in a single bust off the coast of U.S. territory Puerto Rico on Wednesday, the agency announced in a press release Thursday.
Air and Marine Agents reported a vessel without navigational lights moving north approximately four miles south of Salinas, Puerto Rico. They ordered the boat to stop and climbed aboard, where they found one Dominican Republic national and a Venezuelan national.
The agents found 600 kilos or 1,320 pounds of what appeared to be cocaine hidden in 20 bales. The substance tested positive for cocaine and the two suspects were arrested and taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations special agents.
“Air and Marine Agents always remain vigilant to interdict and arrest criminals trying to smuggle narcotics through our coastal areas,” stated Johnny Morales, Director of Air Operations at the CBP Caribbean Air and Marine Branch.
