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Over 1000 kilos of cocaine worth $23M seized from vessel South of Puerto Rico

March 2nd, 2023 | Tags: contraband Cocaine CBP Vessel intercepted drug bust
Inside the vessel, agents found [a] total of 37 bales of the contraband, cocaine, weighing 2,351 pounds (1006.5 kilograms), which is worth around $23 million. Photo: VIC
VI CONSORTIUM

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico- Two people from the Dominican Republic and one from Venezuela were arrested at the beginning of the week, when US Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations agents intercepted a vessel south of Caja de Muerto, an island 8 miles off Puerto Rico’s south coast.

According to a media release from CBP, an air surveillance crew spotted a vessel with “two outboard engines and approximately three persons on board” heading north towards the Puerto Rican coastline. The crew kept watching, guiding Coastal Interceptor Vessels to the suspect vessel’s location, where they intercepted it and boarded for a search.

“Inside the vessel, agents found [a] total of 37 bales of contraband,” the statement says. The contraband? Cocaine, weighing 2,351 pounds (1006.5 kilograms), which is worth around $23 million, according to CBP. 

The Customs and Border Protection agents handed the drugs and the three men over to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) for seizure and prosecution, respectively.

“Our collaboration with fellow law enforcement and our maritime domain awareness allows us to be successful interdicting these smuggling attempts,” said Augusto Reyes, director of Air and Marine Operations in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

“Air and Marine Operations agents are determined to detect and intercept any attempts to smuggle contraband to our shores," Reyes added.

14 Responses to “Over 1000 kilos of cocaine worth $23M seized from vessel South of Puerto Rico”

  • Xxx (02/03/2023, 16:34) Like (2) Dislike (26) Reply
    Free the weed
  • 999 (02/03/2023, 17:09) Like (31) Dislike (7) Reply
    keep an eye on the spanish just look around road town
    • Glenroy (02/03/2023, 21:13) Like (7) Dislike (20) Reply
      @999. You are blind as a bat. The Spanish people are not a threat to you weak-minded people. The threat is the number of U.K. people who have infiltrated our islands and are taking over and verbally disrespecting us because we allow it. Even the U.K. cops have come here thinking they will get away with mistreating our people by invading our private homes, and for what reasons? Don't let your guard down using the Spanish as a distraction because they cannot hurt anything you own unless you allow it, by selling for measly dollars. Some of the lands you had were given to you by your ancestors and you foolishly keep selling them. Our homeland has been slowly becoming the tropical U.K. with your eyes wide open. Soon, we will not even be able to be proud of the B.V.I. as we know it now. Why not lease for a while, then it will be your future generations to always have a place to live. Once you sell, you are being pushed further and further OUT! They are the real threat, not the Spanish. WAKE THE HELL UP!!!!!
      • Glenroy (03/03/2023, 01:15) Like (0) Dislike (20) Reply
        Your selfish
        Land should belong to any body any where on that planet.
      • @Glenroy (03/03/2023, 01:50) Like (4) Dislike (7) Reply
        The threat is not the UK or its Police. It is a fact that the Caribben, including our territorial water, has now become the number one trans-shipment point to move drugs specifically cocaine around the world. Our young men have become involved in this lucrative trade as is obvious ( we pretend it doesn't happen) and some are not hiding to show off the proceeds of their "labor". The recent spate of murders and the disappearance of several of our young men is quite worrying. I am not too sure who started the "Spanish issue". The average latino person is not a threat to any of us but anyone who is involved in or conspires with anyone else to use our territory as a point to commit any unlawful act is . If it rains to hard today resulting in a flood someone would gladly suggest that the water came from melting snow in the UK.




    • @999 (03/03/2023, 02:07) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
      I don't mind people business but I have been keeping my eyes on things. I didn't see Spanish people wearing huge gold chains around their necks. They don't own lavish homes, expensive cars, and the likes. Remember? The Spanish are the ones who work in the bars, clean yards, do things that most of us scorn. Several of them live together in so-called apartments to survive and send a little money back to their homeland. If you need to "keep an eye on the Spanish" You need to widen the scope of your vision. You will be surprised who else you see.
  • Madussa (02/03/2023, 18:10) Like (23) Dislike (0) Reply
    Cocaine is NOT WEED! Why are people still trying to smuggle this nasty killer drug from country to country? Stupid People are still injecting themselves with battery acid to get high. A bunch of MORONS trying to kill themselves or keep people under their control with the promise of flying high in the sky without a plane. When they overdose from this crap it will be LIGHTS OUT FOREVER! So glad these criminals were caught. Good work! 2,351 pounds? Holy mackerel!
  • @ 990 (02/03/2023, 19:20) Like (4) Dislike (5) Reply
    that's the new route ( and I said it before those Spaniards rare taking over road town slowly , so you observed that too , and you can get hooked on their ( sweat ) food not (sweet food) , and coffee , so leave them alone , or first , you will start to get sick then they will want to come and take care of you , with smiling faces , then they will slowly take over you , and your property and then they take you out Quietly , so be warned / or what sweeten your mouth might sour your rear end ????
  • not nice (02/03/2023, 19:59) Like (12) Dislike (3) Reply
    They catch that but a thousand done pass
  • Smugglers (03/03/2023, 03:53) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Throwaway lives! Worthless persons bound for an early death or a long life in prison.
  • @Glenroy (03/03/2023, 06:48) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    U NEED TO CHECK OUT THE MEANING OF ( BVI ) SOME OF ARE U USING THE UK AS AN EXCUSE FOR YOUR HUMAN AMD DRUG TRAFFICKING , OPERATIONS , SO U PLAYING THE BLAME GAME , ITS NO SECRET THAT THE WHOLE CARIBBEAN IS BEEN USED AS A TRANSSHIPMENT ROUTE TO GET THEIR COCAINE INTO THE US / AND EVEN PEOPLE ARE GETTING KILLED , PEOPLE CANNOT RESIST THAT BLOOD MONEY , SO SOME OF YOU BETTER PREPARE TO TAKE A SWIM WITH THE SHARKS , FOR LOOSING THE PEOPLE'S PRODUCT ( SOME WILL DISAPPEAR , LEAVE THAT COKE ALONE , IT IS WORT IT ? TO PUT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY'S LIFE IN DANGER FOR A FEW DOLLARS ,THAT YOU WON'T BE AROUND TOO LONG TO ENJOY
  • WOW (03/03/2023, 08:24) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    The white love white too much and brown and black love money too much.
  • Concerned 1 (03/03/2023, 09:04) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    You are putting the blame on the Spanish for bringing in everything on island but, think out of the box. If the corrupted and money hungry individuals in the bvi don't demand the drugs, then there would be no need to bring it in.
  • Jerry Teeler (03/03/2023, 22:09) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Good work folks.


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