**Photos Available** Coast Guard offloads 650 pounds of marijuana

[The Patriot]

A Coast Guard Cutter Dependable small boatcrew pursues suspected drug smugglers aboard a go-fast vessel off the coast of Jamaica, Aug. 3, 2015. The Dependable boatcrew interdicted the suspected smugglers and recovered 25 bales of marijuana. U.S. Coast Guard photo.





A crewmember aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Dependable guards 25 bales of marijuana that was interdicted off the coast of Jamaica Aug. 3, 2015. The crew interdicted approximately $600,000 estimated wholesale value of marijuana. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard offloaded nearly $600,000 estimated wholesale value of marijuana at Coast Guard Sector Miami, Friday.

On Aug. 3, the Coast Guard Cutter Dependable detected a go-fast vessel with suspicious packages off the coast of Jamaica. The men aboard the go-fast began jettisoning packages overboard after the Dependable began pursuit. The Dependable launched its small boat and stopped the suspect vessel after employing disabling fire against one of the outboard engines. Dependable later recovered 25 packages of marijuana from the water.

"These individual seizures not only keep drugs off the streets and reduce the destabilizing effects they have on society, but they get our investigatory agencies one step closer to disabling the transnational criminal organizations that threaten the prosperity and security of free nations," said Cmdr. Tim Cronin, the Coast Guard's 7th District deputy chief of enforcement.

The four suspected smugglers were transferred to federal authorities for investigation.

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