Federal Agents Seize 3,600 Pounds of Cocaine on Puerto Rico Island

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations intercepted a vessel attempting to smuggle 3,687 pounds of cocaine into the southern coast of the island of Vieques. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations

Over 3,600 pounds of cocaine were seized by federal agents after smugglers tried to transport the drug into the tiny Puerto Rican island of Vieques, officials say.

In a statement to The Epoch Times, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations (AMO) said it intercepted a vessel attempting to smuggle cocaine into the southern coast of the island of Vieques on Sept 4.

The estimated value of the seized narcotics is around $33 million.

“Through the dedication and precision of our CBP Air and Marine Operations agents, over 3,000 pounds of cocaine were intercepted, effectively stopping these harmful drugs from reaching our communities,” said Christopher Hunter, director of AMO in the Caribbean.

An unknown number of people were aboard the vessel and beached it to escape authorities. They escaped the area, and no arrests have been announced.

According to the AMO, throughout fiscal year 2023, enforcement actions have so far seen 1,004 arrests and 89,909 apprehensions of undocumented individuals, along with the seizure of 256,883 pounds of cocaine, 2,049 pounds of fentanyl, 4,050 pounds of methamphetamine, 2,200 weapons, and $15.3 million.

Vieques is located just east of the main island of Puerto Rico and is a popular tourist destination. Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States classified as a commonwealth.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has said the region often acts as a “transhipment point for illicit drugs that are smuggled from source countries into the U.S. mainland as well as destination points for drugs distributed within the territories.”

Because Puerto Rico is between the U.S. mainland and drug source countries such as Colombia and Peru, the DOJ says it acts as an ideal gateway “for the movement of illicit drugs onward to the U.S. mainland.”

CBP Arrests 2 US Citizens

Only a few days earlier, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces for Rapid Action intercepted another vessel in the area carrying illicit drugs.

In a Sept. 3 press release, the CBP said a vessel carrying 588 pounds of cocaine was intercepted near Domes Beach in Rincon, Puerto Rico, after being detected moving in an easterly direction toward the beach.

The value of the drugs is estimated to be around $ 5.3 million. Two U.S. citizens were arrested in connection with the operation and turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration Caribbean Corridor Strike Force for further investigation and possible prosecution.