The US Customs and Border Protection discovered the cocaine worth $1.8 million aboard a fishing boat along Miami River. The boat had arrived in the US from the Bahamas

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized approximately 150 pounds of cocaine which they found aboard a fishing vessel along the Miami River on Tuesday, 11 July during a routine inspection. The estimated street value of the drugs is $1.8 million.

CBP officers boarded the vessel, called Wes Win, to process the cargo and crew arriving from the Bahamas and found 70 bundles containing a white powdery substance. The packages were found behind cans of Jamaican fruit punch, NBC Miami reports.

The powder was tested and proved positive for cocaine.

police near car and boat

Authorities arrested four people, two believed to be crew and two passengers, and took them in for questioning. They handed the contraband over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for further investigation.

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Miami Seaport Port Director Dylan J. DeFrancisci said: “Highly trained and experienced CBP Officers work diligently using advanced inspection techniques to prevent the importation of contraband through our ports of entry on a daily basis.

“Closing off pathways where drugs are introduced and working closely with our local, state and federal partners in South Florida are key components of our multi-layered, risk-based approach to enhance the security of our borders.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the lead agency for preventing drug trafficking through airports, seaports, and land ports of entry and plays a significant role in the national drug control strategy. On a typical day in Fiscal Year 2016, CBP seized over 7,900 pounds of drugs.