US agents seize 35.K cocaine shipped from Santo Domingo

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized Monday 78 pounds (35.5 kilos) of cocaine inside a container at the San Juan seaport.

During the inspection of containers arriving on the M/V Caribbean Fantasy ferry arriving from Santo Domingo, CBP officers selected a container for secondary scrutiny. Upon examination with the use of non-intrusive equipment, they identified anomalies within the container. Inside they found a large duffle bag, which contained 30 bricks that later tested positive for cocaine.

“Smuggling organizations try to conceal their loads by any means possible and use many venues to avoid detection from law enforcement,” stated Juan Hurtado, San Juan area port director. “Our officers remain vigilant managing all risk factors to deter these smuggling attempts.”

The estimated value of the seized cocaine is US$850,000.

CBP Officers contacted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents, who responded and took custody of the seized narcotics. The HSI investigation is ongoing.