Narcotics officers from St. Croix and Coast Guard units from Puerto Rico recovered about 3,000 pounds of marijuana that had been jettisoned at sea and are investigating the source of the contraband, law enforcement officials announced Tuesday.
According to Timothy Williams, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration on St. Croix, the DEA/HIDTA Blue Lightning Strike Force got word that a boat bound for St. Croix with marijuana was stranded and adrift at sea south of the island on April 3.
Associates of the drug laden vessel attempted to reach the disabled vessel with a refueling boat, Williams said, but also became stranded at sea. The Coast Guard responded to the refueling vessel’s request for rescue, and the boat was located and returned to St. Croix. A customs check of the vessel indicated that the boat originated from Antigua with a crew of both Antiguans and Jamaicans.
The crew of the refueling vessel alerted the Coast Guard that a second vessel was adrift south of St. Croix and needed assistance. Prior to sunset, the USCG discovered the second vessel, subsequently identified as the “M/V Triangle,” adrift between St. Croix and Puerto Rico.
Agents from the DEA alerted the USCG that the vessel may be transporting narcotics, Williams said, but a search of M/V Triangle after the rescue didn’t turn up anything.
M/V Triangle was towed by the Coast Guard to Puerto Rico and the crew of five is pending immigration proceedings.
On Saturday, a USCG air craft spotted a large area of bales drifting south of Puerto Rico, passing the word to St. Croix DEA/HIDTA. The Coast Guard requested assistance from the Puerto Rico Police Department Marine Unit, and 62 bales of marijuana were retrieved from the Caribbean Sea.
The total weight of the bales was 3,276 pounds with an estimated value between $2.6 million and $5.2 million, according to Williams.
The St. Croix DEA office continues to investigate the individuals associated with the rescued vessels and the seizure at sea. Williams declined to elaborate on why officials believe the marijuana is associated with M/V Triangle.
"All I can say at this time is the investigation is continuing by DEA in an attempt to tie the marijuana to the Jamaican vessel," Williams said. "DEA will be discussing the case with the United States attorney’s office regarding prosecution."
