Over $7M In Cocaine Seized South Of St. Croix

The United States Coast Guard, supported by multi-agency partners seized cocaine with an estimated street value of $7.4 million. According to the Coast Guard, the seizure occurred on June 3, approximately 75 nautical miles south of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. The Coast Guard Cutter Heriberto Hernández crew located a suspect vessel and approached when they observed the occupants of the suspect vessel jettison multiple packages overboard. The Heriberto Hernández crew successfully stopped the suspect vessel that had nine men onboard who claimed to be Venezuelan nationals. A Coast Guard release said the cutter crew recovered multiple packages of the jettisoned cargo and seized ten bales and two additional bags, with individual packages, which tested positive for cocaine. The crew of cutter Heriberto Hernández embarked the nine detainees and seized contraband, later transferring them to cutter Charles David Jr. for final transport to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Charles David Jr. offloaded and transferred custody of 245 kilograms of cocaine and nine suspected smugglers to Drug Enforcement Administration authorities at Coast Guard Base San Juan, Puerto Rico, Friday. The article Over $7M In Cocaine Seized South Of St. Croix is from St. Lucia Times.