DESTIN — Five fishermen hauled in 25 kilograms of cocaine worth an estimated $2.5 million Wednesday in the Gulf of Mexico south of East Pass, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office.
The fishermen noticed a bale floating in the water about 2.5 miles offshore and pulled it onto their boat, the Sheriff's Office reported. When they saw it was filled with individually wrapped brick-shaped packages, they contacted the Coast Guard Station in Destin.
Federal and state law officers responded about 11 a.m. to take statements from the fishermen. Coast Guard Petty Officer Matt Barnickle said a crew took the cocaine and turned it over to the Sheriff’s Office.
The bale was at the sheriff’s office in Shalimar at 3:30 p.m., Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Michele Nicholson said.
Twenty-five kilograms equals 55 pounds. The Okaloosa County Multi-Agency Drug Task Force determined the cocaine had a street value of $2.5 million.
Law officers are investigating where the bale might have come from.
In a video released by the Sheriff's Office, a deputy notes a “00” marked on one of the cocaine bricks and attributed it to a drug cartel.
Cocaine has been found floating in local waters previously. One of the largest hauls was in 2004 when about 80 pounds worth about $3.6 million was discovered by employees at the Navarre Beach State Park.
It is always possible that more bales could be in the Gulf, Nicholson said. Anyone who sees anything unusual is asked to call the Sheriff's Office at 651-7400.