Boater finds 43 bales of pot floating off Los Angeles — worth $1 million, Coast Guard says

A boater spotted something a lot stranger than whales or dolphins Tuesday in the Pacific Ocean off Santa Catalina Island, the U.S. Coast Guard says in a release.

A concerned citizen notified the Coast Guard station in Los Angeles about 43 bales found floating in the sea, according to the release.

Authorities recovered 1,300 pounds of marijuana valued at $1 million in the tightly wrapped bales, the Coast Guard says.

“We appreciate the assistance provided by our partners and vigilant mariners in keeping these drugs off of our streets,” said Lt. Andrew L. Fox, the Station Los Angeles-Long Beach commanding officer, according to the release.

The origin of the bales of pot remains unknown, but an investigation by the Coast Guard and Homeland Security continues, the release says.

In 2015, agents seized 1.5 million pounds of marijuana being smuggled into the U.S. from Mexico, DrugAbuse.com reported.

This story was originally published August 15, 2019 at 12:26 PM with the headline "Boater finds 43 bales of pot floating off Los Angeles — worth $1 million, Coast Guard says."