Police Seize $12 Million Cocaine Shipment Off Puerto Rico Coast

Major Drug Seizure off Puerto Rico Coast

Authorities in Puerto Rico on Monday seized cocaine worth an estimated $12 million off the island’s north coast. A police statement said officers intercepted a 26-foot-long (eight-meter) boat without identification in waters off the town of Río Grande. Following a pursuit, three suspects were detained, and more than 1,800 pounds (820 kilograms) of cocaine were found on board. Police said federal authorities are taking over the case.

Puerto Rico as a Drug Trafficking Route

It is one of the biggest seizures in Puerto Rican waters in recent years. The U.S. territory has long served as a transit point for drugs being smuggled into the U.S. mainland and Europe.