Seizes 2 Tons of Cocaine in Puerto Rico; four Dominicans among the detainees

US federal authorities seized nearly 2 tons of cocaine and 28 kilograms of amphetamines off the coast of Puerto Rico, in operations in which six suspected smugglers were arrested.

The US Coast Guard reported this Saturday through a statement that the seized narcotics they would reach a value close to 48 million dollars on the black market.

The statement highlights that the drug seizures are the result of efforts between different state agencies against drug trafficking.

The United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico is responsible for the prosecution of the two cases.

The commander of the Seventh District of the US Coast Guard, Eric Jones, stressed about the operations that the collaboration with the countries of the Caribbean basin, together with the authorities in charge of enforcing the law, allows to provide essential support to the mission against international criminal networks that attempt to smuggle drugs into US territory.

He said these seizures underscore two successful operations in the fight against criminal organizations trying to use US territory as a hub for their illegal operations.

The first seizure was carried out on Monday, September 28, during a patrol operation of a Royal Netherlands Navy ship in the Caribbean region, which intercepted a suspicious vessel with three individuals on board, a Colombian, a Venezuelan and a citizen of the Dominican Republic.

49 bales that weighed 1,721 kilograms and that tested positive for cocaine were found in the boat, in addition to a package that weighed 28 kilograms and tested positive for amphetamines.

The second seizure It dates back to September 24, when the crew of a US Customs and Border Protection maritime patrol aircraft detected a suspicious 35-foot vessel without the use of navigation lights.

Customs and Border Protection informed the Coast Guard in the San Juan Sector of the situation of the boat, for which they launched a device that intercepted the boat.

The Coast Guard detained three men who claimed to be citizens of the Dominican Republic, along with 13 bales containing 260 kilograms of cocaine..

The Coast Guard transported the seized contraband and the alleged smugglers from both cases to the San Juan Sector, where federal agencies received custody.

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