3 Venezuelans caught smuggling MILLIONS' worth of cocaine near Puerto Rico, CBP claims
Premium domains for sale
Freedom Is Back In Style
The Air and Marine Operations component of U.S. Customs and Border Protection may have ruined a major payday for drug traffickers when it interdicted a boat with millions of dollars' worth of alleged cocaine.
Freedom Is Back
In Style
Premium domains for sale
The vessel was caught with three "undocumented occupants" from Venezuela on Oct. 7 in the seas just below Guayanilla, a town in southern Puerto Rico, according to a CBP press release.
'This seizure reflects the value of coordinated maritime enforcement and the vigilance of our personnel and partner agencies.'
CBP said the vessel was a "Yola-type" boat, which is a small, often handmade open vessel composed of wood or fiberglass.
Ponce Marine Operations crews transported the vessel to the Ponce port of entry for further examination.
In the vessel, officials discovered about 1,309 pounds of alleged cocaine, which they estimate to be valued at $9.4 million. A field test confirmed it was cocaine, CBP claimed.
The investigation into the confiscated substance is being led by the Homeland Security Task Force, as well as the prosecution efforts.
"Air and Marine Operations remains committed to protecting Puerto Rico’s maritime borders and disrupting transnational criminal organizations that seek to move dangerous contraband through the Caribbean," said Caribbean Air and Marine Branch Director Christopher Hunter.
"This seizure reflects the value of coordinated maritime enforcement and the vigilance of our personnel and partner agencies," he added.
Allegedly drug-running vessels in the Caribbean have become a flash point among critics of the administration who allege that the military strikes on boats are extrajudicial.
The strikes on allegedly drug-running boats preceded a military operation in January in which U.S. troops captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and transported him to the U.S. for prosecution. In a superseding indictment announced on October 8, he and his wife have been charged with conspiring to commit torture, narcoterrorism, and other drug and weapons crimes.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
More from this network:
Domains for Sale · GOTPeople.org · TheDSAPlatform · The Truth About Socialism
What's Your Reaction?
Like
0
Dislike
0
Love
0
Funny
0
Wow
0
Sad
0
Angry
0
I am just an average American. My teen years were in the late 70s and I participated in all that that decade offered. Started working young, too young. Then I joined the Army before I graduated High School. I spent 25 years in, mostly in Infantry units. Since then I've worked in information technology positions all at small family owned companies. At this rate I'll never be a tech millionaire. When I was young I rode horses as much as I could. I do believe I should have been a cowboy. I'm getting in the saddle again by taking riding lessons and see where it goes.
Premium domains for sale
Comments (0)