How did 8 bricks of cocaine wash ashore in Biloxi, and what will happen to the drugs?
While drugs washing ashore may be a common occurrence along the Texas coastline or Florida Keys, Sunday’s discovery of eight bricks of cocaine on a Biloxi beach was a rare one.
“It has happened before… I can remember a couple times in the past,” said Biloxi Police Captain Milton Houseman.
Still, Robert Brisley, spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, said the incident may not be a one off.
“While South Florida and the Keys are the most common locations for drugs to wash up, other coastal communities could see similar occurrences,” Brisley said.
Earlier this month, 126 pounds of cocaine washed ashore in Key Largo. The haul had an estimated value of $2 million.
Wash ups happen monthly in Texas and Louisiana. In a span of three months, Texas had 79 incidents of drugs washing ashore. More than 50 of those incidents involved cocaine.
Statistics on drugs washed ashore were not available, but local U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents have seized more than 504,000 pounds of drugs in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana since last October. The seized drugs included 112,000 pounds of marijuana, 133,000 pounds of methamphetamines and nearly 50,000 pounds of cocaine.
What should you do if you spot something suspicious on the Coast?
If you suspect you have found drugs, Brisley advised not to touch the items, but contact law enforcement.
“If you see something, say something,” he said. “Call local authorities.”
Coastal cleanup volunteers from Keesler Air Force Base did just that. After discovering the bricks Sunday, volunteers notified law enforcement.
Houseman said a field test at the scene confirmed the drugs were cocaine. As police officers searched the shoreline for additional bricks, the marine patrol searched gulf waters. No additional evidence was found.
Where did the drugs come from?
Because the bricks had no markings or indications of a source, Houseman said its origins would be impossible to trace.
“We have no idea. It just washed up on the beach. It was probably lost at sea and floated up,” he said. “This is something that’s found from the open sea and you’ve got to remember how large that is.”
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency takes cases of washed up drugs when there are leads they can follow, but Sunday’s discovery will be turned over to U.S. Customs for destruction.
This story was originally published August 16, 2022 at 11:24 AM.
