The 565 kilograms (1,243 pounds) of cocaine seized Sunday was actually found in the water about three miles south of St. Thomas.
Initial reports from the Coast Guard in San Juan indicated the illegal drugs were found aboard a vessel that had been stopped by the Coast Guard on a routine search for illegal aliens. (See earlier story, "Coast Guard Nabs $50 million worth of cocaine.")
A release Monday afternoon from U.S. Attorney James Hurd's office said four people on a vessel near the area where the drugs were found had been detained, but were later released due to lack of evidence connecting them to illegal activity.
However, the matter remains under investigation by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force. HIDTA includes agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs Service, U.S. Coast Guard, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, V.I. Police Department and the V.I. Housing Authority Police.
The street value of the cocaine was estimated by authorities to be between $15 million and $50 million.
