Cocaine washes ashore on beach
Two bricks of cocaine were found along a South Padre Island beach Thursday morning after apparently washing ashore, police said.
The cocaine was found approximately 10:30 a.m. by beachcombers, who reported the find to police, said Cameron County Parks Police Chief Juan Mendoza Jr.
Each brick weighed one kilogram. According to formulas used by federal authorities, the street value of the cocaine amounts to over $40,000.
"We constantly patrol the beaches and upon being notified, our guys went there to pick up the drugs," Mendoza said. "We ask the public to notify us if they find any mysterious substance on the beach. Don't try to pick it up; don't try to open it. Call the police."
The police chief contacted the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to assist in the investigation. Patrol boats also were sent out to comb the waters for the possibility of more narcotics.
Narcotics washing ashore is not uncommon for park police officers, Mendoza added.
"We have found cocaine, methamphetamines, marijuana," he said. "It's because of the proximity to the river. Smugglers use rafts and boats to try to bring the drugs across and sometimes the boat may capsize, the drugs might fall off, or they may even be dropped off if they were being chased."
Despite their efforts, authorities were not able to find more drugs on Thursday.
"We didn't find any more bricks of cocaine," Mendoza said. "We're still beefing up our security, though. We're glad those drugs are off the streets and not in the wrong hands. It's not the first time, though."
