St. Petersburg, Florida — The US Coast Guard Cutter Marlin and its crew will unload 17 bales of seized cocaine in St Petersburg this morning.

 

The seizure is valued at $11 million.

 

The Coast Guard tells 10 News the drugs were seized from a go fast boat that was spotted in the wester Caribbean by a marine air patrol unit.

 

The suspects on board the boat threw the bales overboard in an attempt to get away.

 

The Coast Guard fired several warning shots and eventually disabled the boat. Three men have been detained along with the drugs.

 

The seizure is part of Operation Martillo which is aimed at stopping illegal drugs and weapons from coming into the United States.

 

Several Coast Guard Cutters were involved in the operation including Coast Guard Cutter Marlin out of Fort Myers Beach, Cutter Forward out of Portsmouth, Virginia, Cutter Confidence out of Port Canaveral, and HITRON out of Jacksonville. Article Link…