February 07, 2006  Caribbean (Panama)
U.S. Coast Guard seizes 2,200 pounds of cocaine off the coast of Panama

The Coast Guard is scheduled to turn over more than 2,200 pounds of seized cocaine and four detained foreign nationals to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at Coast Guard Sector Miami at Miami Beach at 1:30 p.m.

Coast Guard Law Enforcement personnel from Detachment 107, based in San Diego, Calif., and the USS Ford, a Navy frigate homeported in Everett, Wash., stopped and boarded the fishing vessel, Victoria, 40 miles north of Panama Feb. 7.

Initially the master of the 40-foot boat indicated he had approximately 300 pounds of fish on board but during the boarding the master stated he had discarded the fish. The master also claimed to have fishing poles and line but none was found. A freshly painted bulkhead was noticed during further investigation. The wall was removed and the contraband was found.

Source: US Coast Guard