CBP agents in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, seized more than $3 million dollars and arrested the men involved. The story shares some interesting details, like the fact that the boat was equipped with 5 fuel tanks (so that the smugglers could spend more time at sea, if necessary) and that the duffle bag a GPS tracker in it (so that, if thrown overbaord, it could be more easily traced).
Here’s the story (originally here), with some noteworthy details in bold:
ST. THOMAS, Virgin Islands – U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations (AMO) agents intercepted a vessel with three men onboard entering Brewers Bay transporting more than $3 million inside duffel bags.
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During the evening of April 22, Marine Interdiction agents (MIA) on patrol on a Interceptor vessel near the entrance to Brewer’s Bay, noticed a vessel approaching without its navigation lights illuminated.
The MIA’s initiated a stop of the vessel by engaging the blue lights. In response, the three occupants of the vessel began throwing duffel bags overboard before coming to a stop.
After the MIA’s boarded the vessel and detained the three occupants, . . . the agents recovered three duffel bags from the water that had been thrown overboard. A fourth duffel bag was discovered on the vessel. Agents estimate that the bags collectively contained at least $3 million dollars. One of the duffel bags was equipped with a GPS tracker. The vessel, which is registered in Puerto Rico, was outfitted with five fuel tanks.
