U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced the seizure of 518 pounds of cocaine from an abandoned vessel in Rincon, Puerto Rico. The operation, conducted by Air and Marine Operations and the U.S. Border Patrol, took place on June 21 when a Caribbean Air and Marine Operations asset detected a suspicious vessel approximately three nautical miles southwest of Black Eagle Beach.
Border Patrol agents from the Ramey Sector responded to the location, discovering a 22-foot white vessel with a 60-horsepower engine beached along the shoreline. Onboard, they found eight bales of cocaine, estimated to be worth $4.2 million.
The contraband was seized by Border Patrol agents and subsequently turned over to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
According to CBP, "AMO safeguards our Nation by anticipating and confronting security threats through our aviation and maritime law enforcement expertise, innovative capabilities, and partnerships at the border and beyond." The Ramey Sector is unique as it is the only Border Patrol sector located outside the continental United States, covering Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
CBP describes itself as America's frontline in border management, stating that its personnel "protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas" while facilitating safe travel and trade to ensure economic prosperity.
