Border patrol agents have recovered 25 packages of cocaine that were washed onto a Florida Keys beach by Hurricane Debby, which had recently been downgraded to a tropical storm. The packages, found by a beachgoer, were retrieved from an area in the archipelago and reported to the authorities.
According to Samuel Briggs II, the Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Miami Sector, the cocaine packages each bore an identical red V-shaped logo on a black rectangle. The total weight of the packages was 70 pounds, with an estimated street value exceeding $1 million. “We recovered the packages and are conducting a full investigation,” Briggs said on Monday.
U.S. Border Patrol has not released further details regarding the investigation.
This incident echoes a similar discovery from last year, when Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, who was vacationing in the Florida Keys, stumbled upon 70 pounds of cocaine worth over $1 million. Castor, a former Tampa police chief, recounted finding the package floating in the water in July 2023, according to CBS affiliate WISP.
“You know my family was concerned, like, ‘Oh my gosh, what if they think it’s ours,’” Castor shared with the station. “I’m like, come on. So, we pulled it up and then as soon as we were in cellphone range, just called and notified them.”
The storm, which wreaked havoc along the Big Bend coast of Florida, has been downgraded to a tropical storm with sustained winds of 70 mph, decreasing to 65 mph as of 2 p.m. local time, with heavy rain persisting. Hurricane Debby has resulted in at least four fatalities and widespread power outages as it continues to batter the region.
The National Hurricane Center issued warnings for severe weather conditions, urging residents to stay indoors and avoid travel as the storm progresses.
As the U.S. Border Patrol continues its investigation into the cocaine discovery, residents are advised to report any suspicious findings along the coastlines as the remnants of Hurricane Debby impact the area.
