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Coast Guard seizes 1,100 kilograms of cocaine off Puerto Rico coast

The U.S. Coast Guard seized 1,100 kilograms of cocaine off the southern coast of Puerto Rico.

The cocaine was offloaded Friday in San Juan.

The cocaine is estimated to have a wholesale value of $32.5 million, the Coast Guard said.

Three suspected smugglers, all Dominican nationals, have been turned over to the U.S. Department of Justice for prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.

The investigation began May 25 when a go-fast vessel was spotted by a crew of a maritime patrol aircraft, the Coast Guard said.

“As in many other cases, the success of this interdiction is due to the strong interagency cooperation between federal and regional law enforcement authorities in the Caribbean,” said Capt. Robert W. Warren, Coast Guard Sector San Juan commander in a news release. “We remain vigilant and stand ready to protect our citizens from illegal smuggling activities on the high seas.”