Florida Man Finds Floating Fortune, Does the Right Thing
A boater off the coast of Islamorada discovered over 50 pounds of suspected cocaine and immediately reported it to authorities, forgoing a potential million-dollar payday for a clear conscience.
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In a scenario straight out of a narco-thriller, a Florida boater discovered a massive haul of suspected cocaine floating in the ocean on Thursday and, against all odds, turned it over to the police.
The unidentified mariner found the illicit treasure, 23 tightly-wrapped, black, brick-shaped packages, drifting in the turquoise waters about five miles off the coast of Islamorada in the Florida Keys.
Instead of sailing off into the sunset with a life-changing score, the boater contacted the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), recovered the packages, which weighed in at over 50 pounds (approximately 23 kilograms). The haul has since been handed over to federal agents for testing, though officials are confident the substance is cocaine.
While the Good Samaritan may only get bragging rights for their honesty, they also avoided a massive legal headache. Florida law firm Perlet & Shiner warns that keeping such a find would be "an incredibly bad idea," potentially leading to charges of grand theft in the first degree. A conviction could carry a sentence of up to 30 years in prison along with substantial fines.
Discoveries of "blow bales" are surprisingly common in the Florida Keys and along the state's coastline. Smugglers, often in high-speed boats, will dump their valuable cargo when pursued by law enforcement, leaving it to the ocean currents to deliver. Just weeks ago, another beachgoer found cocaine worth an estimated $500,000 on a Panhandle beach. In the last year alone, authorities have recovered over 180 pounds of cocaine across Florida.
The phenomenon doesn't just pose a risk to opportunistic beachcombers. Scientists have expressed growing concern that cocaine dumped in the ocean could be ingested by marine life, potentially creating "cocaine sharks" and disrupting the fragile aquatic ecosystem. It's just one more reason authorities stress that if you find a floating cartel care package, it's best to leave it to the professionals.