SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations Branch (CBP AMIO) interdicted about 220 pounds of cocaine 41 miles southwest of Cabo Rojo, according to the Coast Guard 7th District.
A CBP AMIO aircraft crew located a 20-foot go-fast vessel with three people and suspicious duffle bags aboard. Coast Guard Sector San Juan watchstanders diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos (WPC-1118) crew to the scene to interdict. While en route to the vessel, the Tezanos crew spotted the go-fast crew throwing nine duffle bags overboard.
The Tezanos crew recovered six of the bags, embarked the three suspected smugglers, destroyed the go-fast vessel as a danger to navigation and transferred the smugglers and interdicted cocaine to Coast Guard Investigative Services agents in Puerto Rico. “This case highlighted the strong partnership between Customs and Border Protection and the Coast Guard,” said Capt. Gregory Magee, Sector San Juan deputy commander. “This interdiction would not have been possible without our established relationship and great work by their aircrews.”
