US Customs and Border Protection said authorities intercepted a vessel carrying more than 1,100 pounds of cocaine and arrested three Dominican nationals near Puerto Rico’s southwestern coast.
On Tuesday, a Caribbean Air and Marine Operations aircraft and a Multi-Role Enforcement Aircraft (MEA) detected a 30-foot yola-type watercraft headed north with two outboard engines and three individuals on board. A squad from the Michel O. Maceda Marine Unit used a Coastal Interceptor vessel, assisted by an AMO UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, to successfully stop the vessel near midnight.
Agents recovered 22 bales of cocaine on board, totaling 1,155 pounds (524 kilograms), as well as one AR-15-style firearm. The three people on the boat were Dominicans who lacked legal documents to enter or remain in the United States.
The FBI took possession of the suspects and the firearm, while the Drug Enforcement Administration took control of the recovered drugs.
“This successful interdiction highlights the critical role maritime domain awareness plays in securing our nations borders,” said Creighton Skeen, Deputy Director of Air and Marine Operations in the Caribbean. “Our teams are committed to protecting the homeland by stopping drug trafficking before they reach U.S. shores.”
Air and Marine Operations, a division of US Customs and Border Protection, operates in the air and maritime environments of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands.
