SAN PEDRO, Calif. – U.S. Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles - Long Beach and U.S. Customs and Border Protection recovered 223 pounds of cocaine today from a vessel that became disabled on July 4, off the coast of Columbia.
Two individuals on a disabled panga-style vessel flagged down a good Samaritan en route to Long Beach, California. The good Samaritan vessel recovered the two individuals and their boat.
As they approached Long Beach, the crew contacted the Coast Guard to assist with disembarking the two individuals and recovering their boat.
During that process, the crew notified the Coast Guard that drugs were possibly aboard the vessel. A subsequent search revealed that narcotics were concealed within a false bottom.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection took the two individuals into custody and seized narcotics and the vessel.
"This operation exemplifies the outstanding interagency collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard and CBP," said Lt. Cdr. Keith Robinson, chief of law enforcement at Sector Los Angeles - Long Beach.