Authorities in the Florida Keys have reported that tourists discovered a package containing 16 bricks of suspected cocaine on a local beach, marking the latest in a series of similar findings along Florida’s shores this year.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office stated that guests at the Islands of Islamorada resort found the package late Sunday morning. Following standard procedure, the suspected drugs were turned over to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The sheriff’s office released a photo of the cocaine, showing a wrapped and taped package adorned with an image resembling a dune buggy.
This incident is at least the sixth reported discovery of cocaine on or near Florida’s coastline in 2024. Earlier incidents include:
In August, Hurricane Debby blew 25 packages of cocaine, worth over $1 million, onto a Florida Keys beach. June saw two separate incidents: boaters found 65 pounds of cocaine floating off the Keys’ coast, and divers discovered 25 kilograms about 100 feet underwater near Key West. In May, a beachgoer stumbled upon approximately $1 million worth of cocaine washed up in the Florida Keys.
The frequency of these discoveries highlights the ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement in combating drug trafficking in the region. Researchers at the United Nations estimate that about 90% of cocaine consumed in North America originates from Colombia. Traffickers often attempt to smuggle the drugs across the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean using speedboats and semi-submersible vessels, known as narco subs.
Experts note that cocaine found on beaches can result from traffickers dumping their cargo to evade law enforcement or from failed handoffs between smugglers. Ocean currents and storms can then carry the discarded drugs to shore, as explained by Scientific American.
