Crime

Almost $1 billion of seized cocaine and marijuana offloaded at Port Everglades

By David J. Neal
Twelve tons of cocaine and one ton of marijuana on the stern of the USCG Cutter Legare at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, April 24, 2018. The drugs are worth an estimated $390 million total wholesale — nearly $1 billion street value — and were seized in international waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Twelve tons of cocaine and one ton of marijuana on the stern of the USCG Cutter Legare at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, April 24, 2018. The drugs are worth an estimated $390 million total wholesale — nearly $1 billion street value — and were seized in international waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean. CHARLES TRAINOR JR. ctrainor@miamiherald.com

The Coast Guard Cutter Legare lightened its load by about 12 tons of cocaine and around one ton of marijuana Tuesday afternoon at Port Everglades.

The drugs have a total wholesale value of $390 million, and a street value of almost $1 billion.

This load is the result of 17 pickoffs of drug smuggling boats off the coasts of Central and South America by Coast Guard Cutters Legare; Reliance; Decisive; Steadfast; Dependable; and Harriet Lane; and Canadian Navy HMCS Edmonton and Whitehorse.

The 24,886 pounds of cocaine works out to 11,311,818 grams. Using Narcotics News' ranges of Miami street prices for a gram of cocaine, that works out to $622 million to $1.3 billion of cocaine. The 2,664 pounds of marijuana is 1,210,909 grams. Bloomberg News placed Miami street prices at $9.27 per gram in January, making those bales of weed worth $11,225,127 on the street.

This story was originally published April 24, 2018 at 2:39 PM with the headline "Almost $1 billion of seized cocaine and marijuana offloaded at Port Everglades."

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