Big package of marijuana washes up on Florida beach

Sept. 13 (UPI) -- Authorities in Florida said beach visitors were surprised to arrive at the shore to discover a huge package of marijuana washed up in the sand.

Beach safety officials in Ormond-by-the-Sea said a witness reported the large plastic-wrapped package shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday and the Volusia County Sheriff's Office was called to investigate.

Photos from the scene show the package contained 23 smaller packages of marijuana that were sealed with plastic wrap and duct tape.

Beach Safety Patrol Capt. Tammy Malphurs said Hurricane Florence has been creating larger-than-usual surf, which may have contributed to the package's appearance on the beach.

"Typically it happens when we have a large surf and winds on shore. Sometimes, we have a lot of things wash up on shore. We haven't had a lot of things but this is the first thing so far," Malphurs told WKMG-TV.

The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office said on Twitter that multiple packages of marijuana were found washed ashore and floating in the water last week.