Suspected Drug Smuggler Arrested in Puerto Rico
Federal authorities have apprehended an individual suspected of drug smuggling, reportedly found floating in a Puerto Rican port with about 800 pounds of cocaine. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) revealed on Monday that they recovered the suspect along with 10 bales of cocaine from the Port of San Juan on January 28. The total weight of the cocaine was approximately 789.25 pounds, which has an estimated wholesale value exceeding $5 million.
The situation unfolded around 5:48 a.m. when the tugboat Cygnet Thunder contacted the Coast Guard regarding its operations in San Juan. The vessel was towing a barge towards a former Army Terminal when another tug’s crew boarded and discovered the stowaway.
Authorities quickly dispatched a boat from the San Juan Station and notified the Caribbean Aviation and Maritime Branch of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in addition to the Puerto Rico Police Department’s marine unit. Rescuers discovered a person in the water alongside floating bales that likely contained contraband.
Following this, Coast Guard and CBP personnel boarded the tugboat and barge but found no additional stowaways or drugs. The suspect was taken to a Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) partner at Coast Guard Station San Juan, where the cocaine was confiscated. The individual is now facing federal drug trafficking charges.
Cmdr. Matthew Romano, the San Juan District Response Director, commented on the incident, stating, “This highlights the excellent response and collaboration among the Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and Puerto Rico Police, as well as the strong teamwork between the HSTF and other agencies to protect the Eastern Caribbean maritime border from illegal drug trafficking.” He also recognized the important role tugboats play in safeguarding the marine community and waterways.
This seizure is part of ongoing efforts by the Homeland Security Task Force, established under Executive Order 14159, designed to address cartel activities and transnational crime.
In the fiscal year 2025, the Coast Guard reported seizing over 510,000 pounds of cocaine and other illegal substances. Border Patrol agents operating around Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands confiscated 9,600 pounds of cocaine in the same fiscal year, an increase from 5,900 pounds the previous year.
