Cocaine Found Floating Off the Coast of The Florida Keys

Many tourists flock to the Florida Keys for their fishing charters, but fish may not be the only things you will find in those waters.

Cocaine was found floating off the coast of the Florida Keys in early August. The U.S. Coast Guard recovered the cocaine bails and an investigation on where they came from began.

In the span of three days, the Coast Guard found six bails total of the illegal drug after boaters began reporting the floating bails. The first bail of cocaine was found floating 10 miles east of Islamorada. The next day, two more bails of cocaine were found. Finally, on the third day, three more bails were discovered, only this time 15 miles east of Marathon. Together, the bails contained over 280 pounds of cocaine that is worth an estimated $3.8 million.

The Caribbean Sea is a known area of drug transit from Central and South America. The cocaine recently found floating off the coast of the Florida Keys is just another example of the drug presence in the area. The exact source of the cocaine bails is yet to be discovered, but the United States Coast Guard has mentioned their increased presence in the area to combat trade such as this.

Cocaine in Florida

Unfortunately, cocaine found floating off the coast of the Florida Keys is just one of many instances of this illegal drug in the Sunshine State. While many people are focused on the opioid epidemic and the abuse of prescription pain pills, cocaine should not be ignored. At Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches, our detox center in South Florida has seen many instances of dependence on this drug from our patients.

In Florida alone, there were 4,200 pounds of cocaine confiscated in 2016.¹ But, it doesn’t stop there. Florida has also seen a rising number of cocaine overdose deaths. From 2012 to 2015, this number increased from 1,318 to 1,834.¹ South Florida in particular is an area of concern. There was a 29% increase in cocaine overdose deaths in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties in the course of one year.¹ As a South Florida residential addiction treatment center, these numbers are particularly concerning as this could be happening to our neighbors, friends, and loved ones.

If your loved one is addicted to cocaine or another drug, get them help immediately. Our Palm Beach intervention services could be the push they need to start their journey to recovery. You do not want them to become another statistic. Call us today at 561-220-3981 to learn more.

Sources:

1. Sun Sentinel – Cocaine comes roaring back to South Florida — and then some