A U.S. Coast Guard operation resulted in the seizure of 690 kilograms of cocaine on a vessel located 14 kilometers east of Government Cut, near Miami Beach. The shipment was intercepted in early May by the crew of the Miami Beach Station, according to authorities.
The drugs, distributed in numerous packages, were placed in federal custody after the discovery. This seizure adds to the ongoing operations against maritime drug trafficking in the area this year, as confirmed by Coast Guard spokespeople to local media.
Agents indicated that the action was part of a routine anti-drug mission. The operation took place in the Atlantic Ocean, just over 14 kilometers east of the entrance to the Port of Miami, in an area frequented by commercial and recreational vessels.
The crew of the Coast Guard Station Miami Beach located and inspected a suspicious vessel, discovering drugs hidden on board, according to information published by the federal agency on its official X account.
The seized shipment weighed 690 kilograms. The estimated value of the drugs exceeded $11 million, according to the official appraisal released by the Coast Guard and reported by media outlets such as NBC Miami and Telemundo 51 on June 2.
The discovery resulted from a routine inspection as part of the Coast Guard’s patrol and enforcement operations in the region. Officials did not specify the vessel’s final destination or the exact origin of the narcotics, but emphasized that maritime drug trafficking is one of the greatest threats along the Florida coast.
According to the official statement: “From counter-narcotics missions to life-saving search and rescue operations, the crews of the Southeast District remain prepared to protect the American people.” The agency expressed this on social media after releasing the news.
Federal authorities warned that traffic control in the area has been intensified, leading to seizures throughout the year.
The crew of the Miami Beach station detected and boarded the vessel on the morning of Monday, May 6, although the information was made public a month later, when the Coast Guard released images of the seizure.
After the inspection, officers found the drugs distributed in multiple packages, although no details were released regarding the number of people arrested or the type of vessel used.
Following the discovery, authorities transported the shipment to a safe port and proceeded to hand it over to the appropriate agencies for destruction and for the continuation of the judicial investigation.
