OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 10:54 AM PT — Saturday, June 22, 2019
Federal authorities are calling an 18 ton cocaine bust in Philadelphia, the largest drug seizure in U.S. border patrol history.
A fraction of the cocaine seized from a ship at a Philadelphia port is displayed ahead of a news conference at the U.S. Custom House in Philadelphia, Friday, June 21, 2019. Federal officials have estimated the seized drugs had a street value of more than $1 billion. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
In a press conference Friday, federal agents crammed the lobby of The United States Custom House with thousands of plastic wrapped bricks of cocaine, revealing just a small fraction of what the CBP seized in this week’s major drug bust.
Director of Field Operations, Casey Durst, said 18 tons of cocaine were confiscated off the MSC Gayane cargo ship at the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal Port in Philadelphia this week in the ships’s multi-day investigation.
The drugs have a street value of more than $1 billion dollars.
“We know in this shipment that there were doses enough for two million different individuals at any time. this could have killed countless thousands and maybe millions of people” Jim Carroll, U.S. drug Czar said.
Authorities boarded the vessel Sunday with drug sniffing dogs after forcing the ship to dock.
The narcotics were reportedly discovered in seven different shipping containers hidden among the cargo.
It has not yet been disclosed how the agents were tipped off to illegal substance in the vessel, which had already made stops in Peru, Columbia, and The Bahamas, however once confiscated, six crew members are now in custody and charged with possession.
“Each defendant has been federally charged with one count of knowingly and intentionally conspiring with each other and others to possess more than 5 kilos of cocaine on board a vessel under the jurisdiction of this country” said William Mcswain, U.S. attorney.
Suspects say they were paid up to $50,000 to help conceal the drugs.
If convicted, they could each face life in prison.
The court is expected to hold a hearing Monday.
