By SXM TALKS

MARIGOT–A Customs vessel from St. Martin was one of two vessels along with a helicopter that took part in an operation last week Wednesday leading to a seizure of 588 kilos of cocaine from a sailing yacht, the Customs office in St. Martin disclosed.

The yacht Aldabra was intercepted and searched some 56 nautical miles off the West coast of Guadeloupe based on intelligence gathered and red-flagged by the Central Office for the Repression of illicit Drug Trafficking OCRTIS.
OCRTIS learnt on May 2 that transportation of a significant amount of drugs from South America was imminent.
Brigade Garde Cotes (BGC) in St. Martin Chef de Brigade Anne-Sophie Peron said Customs vessels Sua Louiga based in Anse Marcel, St. Martin, and Pitera from Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, were accompanied by the Customs helicopter Racam from Fort-de-France, Martinique.

Eighteen Customs officers took part in the operation. On board the yacht officers found cocaine in sachets and hidden in bread rolls distributed around the vessel. On board the yacht were a man and a woman, but their nationality was not disclosed.

The yacht, its two occupants and its illicit cargo were escorted back to Fort-de-France where the couple and the drugs were handed over to OCRTIS officials.

This seizure follows the one near Martinique on April 20 where a go-fast boat was intercepted carrying 700 kilos of cannabis.

Source: Daily Herald

For more on this story go to: http://www.sxm-talks.com/the-daily-herald/yacht-intercepted-with-588-kilos-of-cocaine-on-board/