Posted: 08/31/2010
ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. - A 33 foot boat washed ashore 2 miles north of the St. Lucie/Martin County line and officials discovered drugs on board. They say they found approximately 800 lbs of marijuana wrapped in 5-pound packages.
About 6:40 a.m. Tuesday, a resident of southern St. Lucie County, who lives in a high-rise in the 10,000 block of South A1A, reported seeing a boat in the surf and called 911.
Sheriff’s investigators found a 33-foot motorboat near Shuckers on Hutchison Island and detained a man who was walking along State Road A1A.
Investigators think the man might have been on the boat. He said he’s from Miami and has no identification. He hasn’t explained his presence in the area.
The U.S. Coast Guard is on scene along with the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
It's not known if the boat intentionally landed on the coast or came ashore after a mechanical problem.
Customs took custody of the drugs which have been removed. The sheriff's office says agents also have taken custody of the unidentified man.
Federal authorities will recover the boat when conditions permit, Sheriff Ken Mascara said in a written release.
Will Greenlee of Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers contributed to this report
©2007 The E.W. Scripps Co. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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