On the heels of two major Guyana-linked drug busts in the last month, customs authorities at the Port of Miami, on Monday acting on a tip off unearthed 373 pounds of cocaine hidden in furniture aboard a vessel, whose last stop was in this country.
This bust involved 194 packages valued at US$5.5M which was concealed in 72 pieces of furniture which was packed in a container. Investigations will likely be done to determine if the furniture was loaded here.
According to NBC6.NET, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers inspecting the containers at the Miami seaport were alerted by a CBP K-9 to a specific container loaded with furniture.
The officers, attached to the Anti-Terrorism Contra-band Enforcement Team, proceeded to examine the furniture and discovered three packages concealed within one of the pieces of furniture. One of the packages was tested by the officers and the substance was positive for cocaine. More packages of the drugs were discovered in 71 other pieces of furniture.
The container with the furniture arrived in Miami last Friday aboard the freighter M/V Rio Para. The container was moved to the CBP facility for examination and opened Monday. The vessel’s last port call was Guyana, the news article stated.
“Our men and women are working diligently, especially during the holidays, in protecting our borders against all forms of terrorism. Stopping the flow of illegal drugs is one of Customs and Border Protection’s primary missions,” said Ruby Hogan, Port of Miami CBP director, was quoted as saying.
Director of Field Operations Harold Woodward was quoted by the NBC 6.NET as saying that “This is an outstanding seizure, and it was accomplished with one of our specialized Anti-Terrorism Contraband Enforcement Teams at the seaport. We mustn’t forget the great work our K-9 units perform at our seaports as well as the airports”.
Two shipments of pepper sauce from Guyana with cocaine stuffed into the dividers of the cartons were seized this month in Canada and the USVI.
