A crewmember aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant offloads marijuana at Sector Key West Feb. 2, 2011. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Fireman Andrew Fussel.
While on a routine patrol, the crew of the Vigilant located a 30-foot go-fast vessel with multiple fuel drums on deck and five persons aboard in the western Caribbean Sea Jan. 18. The Vigilant crew launched their smallboat to pursue the go-fast vessel. During the westbound pursuit, crewmembers witnessed personnel aboard the go-fast jettison multiple bales into the water.
Two Costa Rican smallboat crews launched to assist. However, the go-fast crew was able to beach the vessel in Costa Rica, and flee on foot evading capture.
The crew of the Vigilant was able to recover 40 bales and 15 bricks of marijuana worth almost $1 million.
The contraband was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Key West Wednesday. Special agents assigned to ICE HSI marine smuggling investigative group continue the investigation.
The Vigilant is a 210-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Port Canaveral, Fla.
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