The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos offloaded 388 pounds of seized cocaine and transferred custody of two smugglers to DEA Special Agents in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, on Sunday.
The estimated wholesale value of the drugs is $4.3 million.
According to a Coast Guard release, the interdiction resulted from multi-agency efforts supporting the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force.
The release disclosed that during the morning of September 28, the crew of a Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft detected a suspicious 22-foot sport-craft vessel in international waters navigating towards Rincón, Puerto Rico.
The cutter, Joseph Tezanos, arrived and stopped the suspect vessel.
Once alongside the suspect vessel, the Coast Guard crew located 142 brick-sized packages of suspected contraband inside, which tested positive for cocaine.
The two persons onboard the vessel were arrested.
The Coast Guard said the apprehended smugglers are citizens of the United States.
They face federal prosecution in Puerto Rico on criminal charges, including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
The charges carry a minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of imprisonment for life.
PHOTO: Stock image
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