INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Border Patrol and the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office have rounded up “non-U.S. citizens” who fled after landing a boat that also had drugs on board Tuesday afternoon during the storm.
A small Boston Whaler boat washed ashore carrying drugs, according to authorities. Deputies located and detained a black female from Cuba, a black male from the Dominican Republic, two Hispanic males from Brazil, and two black males from the Bahamas.
They also located a duffel bag containing 26 pounds of marijuana, according to the Sheriff’s Office. During interviews with the subjects, they learned that two other Hispanic Brazilian males were also aboard the boat, but had evaded capture during the initial response.
At approximately 10 p.m., reports of the two Brazilian men along A1A were received, according to authorities. The two men were quickly apprehended, bringing the total of apprehended individuals to eight.
Investigators have learned that the smuggling boat left the Bahamas at midnight on May 17, headed for the United States.
Two of the apprehended Bahamian males allegedly coordinated the trip to smuggle drugs and humans into the United States, according to the Sheriff’s Office. All subjects were turned over to Border Patrol Agents and transported to West Palm Beach for interviews.
“Our deputies, in conjunction with FWC and Border Patrol, did an excellent job apprehending these subjects before they disappeared into the United States. Human and drug smuggling along our borders is an all too common occurrence and we will do everything we can to keep these individuals from illegally entering the United States,” said Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar.
