Mayor of Tampa discovers valuable cocaine haul during fishing trip

The mayor of Tampa, located in the state of Florida, USA, stumbled upon a valuable catch during a recent maritime trip. While enjoying a vacation day on Florida Keys' coast on July 23rd, Jane Castor found approximately 32 kilograms of cocaine, estimated to be worth around $1.1 million, according to reports from American media outlets.

Initially, Jane Castor thought she was observing a "shadow" of some kind of creature, possibly a small fish beneath debris in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean. She stated to Fox 13 News, "But as we got closer, I felt like we might have a bale of cocaine."

Castor mentioned that she was confident that what she was seeing was quantities of cocaine. Her over three decades of experience in the Tampa Police Department, including six years as its chief, allowed her to recognize drug stockpiles with certainty.

The family on the trip carefully carried the drug package, which was about the size of a microwave oven, onto the boat. The tightly wrapped packages were visible underneath layers of plastic wrap.

Jane Castor immediately documented the discovery's location and contacted the office of the Monroe County Sheriff. Afterward, a patrol from the U.S. Border Patrol took possession of the shipment.

On July 24th, officials announced the discovery of this quantity of drugs through social media posts, attributing it to a "recreational vessel." The news was accompanied by an image of the confiscated haul, which included 25 packages of cocaine, each sealed with a purple butterfly seal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFP