Coast Guard seizes 1,500 pounds of cocaine

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — U.S. Coast Guard crews offloaded about 1,500 pounds of cocaine in St. Petersburg that was seized south of the Dominican Republic.
 
The cocaine was seized Oct. 11 but was offloaded in Florida on Tuesday.
 
The Tampa Bay Times reports the cocaine has an estimated street value of $23 million.
 
According to a Coast Guard news release, crews responded to a call from the Coast Guard near San Juan of a suspicious 35-foot vessel.
 
Once the Coast Guard Cutter Venturous arrived, the crew aboard the vessel began throwing packages overboard.
 
The Venturous crew recovered 28 bales, which later tested positive for cocaine.
 
The cocaine was seized as part of a Department of Homeland Security multi-agency law enforcement operation in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

WFTV