KEY WEST, Fla. — Bales of cocaine weighing a total of 4,355 pounds on the flight deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear at Coast Guard Sector Key West Sept. 21, 2011. The Bear crew offloaded 4,355 pounds of cocaine at Sector Key West from a Sept. 9, 2011, go-fast interdiction in the Caribbean Sea. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Nick Ameen.
Reporting Kelly Sedano
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KEY WEST (CBS4) – The Coast Guard showed off a major cocaine bust in Key West Wednesday.
Officials announced that while patrolling the Caribbean Sea on September 9, crew members aboard Cutter Bear intercepted a go-fast boat carrying 4,335 pounds of cocaine.
The cutter was on the lookout for the go-fast boat after receiving a tip from a Customs and Border Protection Maritime Patrol Aircraft in the area. The cutter also launched it’s helicopter to assist in the search.
When the cutter’s helicopter arrived on scene, people on the boat began throwing bales of cocaine overboard. After dumping all the coke, the boat tried to flee, but was eventually stopped by the Coast Guard.
Five people onboard the boat were detained and transferred to federal law enforcement officials at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Officials say the cocaine has a street value of $58 million.
