U.S. Divers Seize 8 Pounds Of Cocaine From Cargo Ship’s Hull In Miami

U.S. Border Patrol divers in Miami seized eight pounds of cocaine hidden in the hull of an inbound cargo ship arriving from the Dominican Republic, officials announced on September 23.

The narcotics were discovered during an underwater inspection at Port Miami, where a specialised dive team removed the drugs strapped to the vessel’s underwater structure.

Authorities explained that the cocaine was concealed “deep in the ship’s belly,” a phrase often used to describe the sea chest, which is part of the hull.

Border Patrol’s specialised Search, Trauma, and Rescue (BORSTAR) divers used knives and underwater cutting tools to detach the bundles, which were described as a “parasitic load.”

The operation was carried out in collaboration with Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations and Air and Marine Operations units.

Officials confirmed the cocaine weighed over three and a half kilograms, or about eight pounds, and was recovered from the ship’s stern.

The vessel involved was identified as the Hoheplate, an 11,800-deadweight-ton containership registered in Antigua and Barbuda. It is active in Caribbean trade routes.

Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals later showed the ship sailing from the Dominican Republic to Colombia on September 26, after the seizure.

In a statement reported by NBC Miami, Border Patrol Chief Michael W. Banks said the dive team had achieved its “first ever parasitic drug seizure,” calling it a milestone. He described the discovery as an “innovative advancement” in their ongoing efforts to block drug smuggling by sea.

Photos shared on the agency’s official social media account showed divers working at the stern of the cargo ship to remove cocaine packages. The Border Patrol said this was the first time their dive team had carried out such an operation.

Officials did not clarify whether the vessel was stopped for a routine inspection or if the seizure followed a specific intelligence tip. Additional details about suspects or follow-up actions were not released.

Smuggling drugs by strapping them to ships is not new. Authorities recalled that in 1990, police divers in PortMiami found four steel boxes with 250 pounds of marijuana attached to a cruise ship, leading to three arrests.

Officials said investigations into the recent cocaine seizure are still underway.

Reference: CBP

Source: Maritime Shipping News