USA

US Coast Guard Seizes Half Ton of Cocaine near Puerto Rico

FILE - A Puerto Rican flag flies on an empty beach at Ocean Park, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, May 21, 2020.

The U.S Coast Guard said crews from two of its cutters recovered nearly 500 kilograms of cocaine off the coast of Puerto Rico.

Authorities announced on Wednesday that a helicopter crew first spotted the 45-kilogram bales of cocaine near a debris field of the U.S territory's Desecheo Island on Friday.

It’s unclear if any other evidence was secured at the scene.

Cmdr. Beau Powers, Coast Guard Sector San Juan chief of response said that the recovery highlights the excellent work of the agency personnel on the U.S and mainland and on the Caribbean island.

The Coast Guard Investigative Service and Caribbean Corridor Strike Force personnel are examining the bales to try and determine where the drugs came from and the planned destination.