Mayor catches US$1.1m worth of cocaine while on family fishing trip
The mayor of Tampa has found cocaine with an estimated street value of about $1.1m (£860,000) floating in the Atlantic while on a fishing trip with her family.
Jane Castor, who was the city's first female police chief before becoming mayor, was fishing off the Florida Keys on 23 July when she made the discovery.
She came across a package wrapped in layers of plastic which was later found to contain 70 pounds of the drug.
Her family lifted the package into their boat and Ms Castor saved the location of their find on her watch.
The drug haul - found in the waters off the Middle Keys city of Marathon - was handed over to federal agents after the mayor contacted the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, reported Tampa Bay Times.
A US Border Patrol post on social media confirmed the estimated value of the drugs found by a "recreational boater".
It comes after a brick of cocaine weighing about 2.7lbs was found floating near Florida Keys last month, according to NBC South Florida.
Last week, it was revealed Spanish police, customs officials and the UK's National Crime Agency held a joint operation to seize two metric tonnes (4,409 pounds) of cocaine with a street value of about €70m (£60m) from a single-mast boat they intercepted off Spain's northern coast.
Over the weekend, Border Patrol agents in the Miami Sector seized 70 lbs. of cocaine that was discovered by a recreational boater in the #FloridaKeys. The drugs have an estimated street value of approx. $1.1 million dollars. #miami #florida #drugbust #Mondaymorning pic.twitter.com/etaiuwXrcK
— Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar (@USBPChiefMIP) July 24, 2023
Spain's tax agency said the location of the haul, in the Bay of Biscay, was "totally exceptional".
Most cocaine shipments from Latin America to Europe are seized along Spain's western Atlantic coast.
Source: news.sky.com
Trending News
Agona West MP Cynthia Mamle Morrison denies reports of rescinding independent candidacy
18:20Bawumia belittles NDC's manufactured 'Majority' in Parliament
12:12Bawumia campaign accuses Mahama of being out of touch with current affairs
09:47Bishop Salifu Amoako, wife, 1 other person charged with allowing 'unlicensed person to drive', granted bail
22:31EC to Finalise certified voter roll for Dec. 7 polls by November
18:55Dec. 7 polls: Vote NPP out NPP for ‘destroying Ghana’ – Ato Forson tells Mankessim residents
11:54Firewood & charcoal: The silent killer in our kitchens – Rev. Mireku
17:44You've disgraced me with your unwarranted attack on journalist – Salifu Amoako tells congregation
14:42PRINPAG launches Code of Ethics to strengthen journalism standards in Ghana
11:12Contact NDC comms team before publishing self-designed NDC ads, paraphernalia – NDC to sympathisers
20:20