Days after one of the largest East Coast drug seizures of all time, federal agents have successfully carried out another bust in Maryland.
WBAL TV reports the contraband, weighing 333 lbs. with a street value of about $10 million, was seized at the Port of Baltimore on June 18. Patricia Scull, assistant port director of tactical operations, told reporters the coke was found in a shipping container, which upon first glance carried beach chairs. "The goods were packaged properly in containers nice and neat on palettes, just like any container would be," she said. "But at the back of the container when you just open the doors, four large duffel bags full of bricks of cocaine."
The federal agent also noted the container's travel route and contents were a cause for concern, prompting officials to investigate further. "This container, in particular, sat in the Port of Panama for over a week, big reason for a high narcotics target value for us as well as the goods made in China for intellectual property rights violations—that targeting based off of those two reasons as well as intelligence, we pulled it in," she said.
Scull said a Maryland address was originally listed as the intended destination, though a "continuing investigation" would reveal if the drugs were headed for Baltimore. As of this writing, there are no suspects in custody.
Earlier this month, it was reported that over 16 tons of coke were found on a ship at a Philadelphia port, as the $1.1 billion street value made it the largest seizure in United States history. Members of the vessel's crew were arrested and federally charged.
