The U.S. Coast Guard got more than it bargained for Sunday afternoon when it stumbled upon a boat south of St. Thomas carrying about 1,000 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of roughly $50 million.
According to Capt. Norman Henslee, commander of the Coast Guard Section for the Greater Antilles, the Coast Guard cutter was in search of a vessel suspected of carrying illegal aliens into St. Thomas when it came across the boat carrying the drugs.
The vessel, drugs and crew were turned over to U.S. Customs authorities. A release from the Coast Guard in San Juan did not indicate if they were being held on St. Thomas or in Puerto Rico, and the name of the vessel was not released.
Henslee could not be reached for comment Sunday night.
