Coast Guard unloads cocaine, marijuana

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Oct. 8 (UPI) -- A U.S. Coast Guard ship unloaded $36 million worth of cocaine and marijuana after docking at the U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, Fla., officials said.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Resolute unloaded an estimated 2,921 pounds of cocaine and 1,300 pounds of marijuana Sunday in St. Petersburg, The Tampa Tribune reported.

The cocaine was seized during a Coast Guard operation Sept. 27, when the Resolute detained a group of suspected drug smugglers off the coast of Honduras, a media release said.

When the crew from the Resolute boarded the vessel, they discovered 53 bales covered in a white powdery substance that later tested positive for cocaine.

Four suspected smugglers were taken into custody during the operation.

The marijuana was seized in separate incident, in which the crew of the Resolute recovered 45 bales of marijuana that were dumped by another boat.

The Resolute and its crew of 12 officers and 62 enlisted personnel were on a 10-week deployment for training, supporting counter-narcotics, and search and rescue operations in the Western Caribbean.