The Coast Guard Just Fished 1,300 Pounds of Weed Out of the Ocean
Credit to Author: Kelly Vinett| Date: Fri, 16 Aug 2019 16:54:27 +0000
The Coast Guard found 1,300 pounds of marijuana wrapped in plastic — estimated to be worth $1 million — just floating off the coast of California on Tuesday.
When a “concerned citizen” reported they saw drugs in the water surrounding Santa Catalina Island, the U.S. Coast Guard dispatched two boat crews to investigate and scooped up 43 bales of marijuana, the Coast Guard said in a news release.
It’s a mystery as to where the floating green came from and who sent it, but the Coast Guard said an investigation is underway through Homeland Security and maritime investigators to find the source of the narcotics.
The Coast Guard handed the goods over to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which assessed the street value of the haul.
After Tuesday’s tip, California law enforcement encouraged people to continue to call in suspicious activity spotted in the ocean.
“We appreciate the assistance provided by our partners and vigilant mariners in keeping these drugs off of our streets,” said Lt. Andrew L. Fox, the Station Los Angeles-Long Beach commanding officer.
The sea has been chock full of controlled substances recently.
READ: So here’s a Coast Guard dude surfing a 40-foot narco-sub packed with cocaine
Over the span of five days, a brand new Coast Guard ship headed to Honolulu made two seizures in the east Pacific — finding 2,100 pounds of cocaine on July 25, and a whopping 4,600 pounds of cocaine on July 31, according to the U.S. Coast Guard on Thursday in a news release.
On Aug. 8, $2 million worth of cocaine washed up on a beachfront in New Zealand after being lost at sea for over a year, according to the Guardian.
And in an epic seizure captured on video, a Coast Guard member pounced on top of a moving submarine carrying 17,000 pounds of cocaine on July 11, estimated to be worth $232 million.
Cover: From left, Coast Guard members Seaman Alyssa Massores, Petty Officer 3rd Class David Olson and Petty Officer 2nd Class Cody Laeger stand near a van filled with approximately 1,300 pounds of marijuana seized near Santa Catalina Island on Aug. 13, 2019. (Photo: U.S. Coast Guard)
This article originally appeared on VICE US.