Thread: Coast Guard Seizes 137 Bales of Marijuana Off Baja Calif.

Coast Guard seizes bales of marijuana thrown overboard off Baja California

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http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me ... 9168.story

A spokesman says 137 bales were collected from the water after being dumped by a crew being pursued by the cutter Narwhal.

By Jia-Rui Chong
9:55 AM PST, November 20, 2008

In one of the largest marijuana seizures in its history, a U.S. Coast Guard cutter scooped up more than 130 bales of marijuana thrown overboard by a speedboat off the coast of Baja California.

"I would say 137 bales of marijuana are few and far between," said Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Commander Chris O'Neil. "Cocaine is usually more common just because it's coming in greater quantities."

O'Neil said he did not have an estimate for the street value of the seizure or tonnage.

The cutter Narwhal, based in Newport Beach, was patrolling international waters Monday when it spotted a boat moving suspiciously, O'Neil said. When the Narwhal headed toward the speedboat, the crew jettisoned steamer-trunk-sized bales of marijuana into the ocean and fled, he said.

The Coast Guard was not able to catch the boat but did recover the bales with help from a helicopter. The bales later tested positive for marijuana.

The Coast Guard's last two sizable drug busts occurred in September, when the agency, aided by the U.S. Navy, seized two semi-submersible vessels en route from South America to the U.S., off the coast of Guatemala, O'Neil said. Each of those vessels was carrying more than 200 bales -- or about seven tons -- of cocaine.

Chong is a Times staff writer.
jia-rui.chong@latimes.com

Thank you coasties