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  4. Border Patrol, FURA Seize 80 Pounds of Cocaine and 6 Pounds of Fentanyl from 5 Aliens from the Dominican Republic Attempting entry into Puerto Rico

Border Patrol, FURA Seize 80 Pounds of Cocaine and 6 Pounds of Fentanyl from 5 Aliens from the Dominican Republic Attempting entry into Puerto Rico

Release Date
Fri, 07/17/2020

AGUADILLA, Puerto Rico –U.S. Border Patrol and the Puerto Rico Police Department Joint Forces for Rapid Action (FURA, in Spanish) seized  Friday  80 pounds (36 kilos) of  cocaine and 6 Pounds (3 Kilos) of fentanyl found inside a “yola” type of vessel, where 5 illegal aliens from  the Dominican Republic attempted to enter through the northwestern coast.  A dsiplay of the seized contraband.

The seized cocaine is valued approximately at $900,000 and the fentanyl at $42,000.

“Keeping these dangerous drugs off of our streets is a shared responsibility. Law Enforcement entities work 24 hours a day to keep our island safe, “stated Xavier Morales, Chief Patrol Agent for Ramey Sector. “I would like to remind the community to also remain vigilant for illegal activity taking place near their communities. If you see something suspicious, contact us. Together, we can increase safety and improve the quality of life here.”

Ramey Border Patrol agents detected a vessel traveling without navigational lights eastbound approximately 10 nautical miles west of Aguadilla, alerting a FURA Marine Unit to intercept. 

The FURA unit, an Operation Stonegarden partner, intercepted the 20-foot long fiberglass “yola” type vessel approximately 5 miles west of Peña Blanca, Aguadilla.

Five adult males were inside the vessel all claimed Dominican Republic citizenship, along with a duffle bag and a nylon sack containing suspicious bundles. The items inside were field tested showing the properties of cocaine and fentanyl. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is in charge of the prosecution and investigation of the case.

The Operation Stonegarden Grant Program (OPSG) is designed to enhance cooperation and coordination from the U.S. Border Patrol with local, tribal, territorial, state and federal law enforcement agencies in a joint mission to secure the border.   

The Ramey Sector is one of the twenty-one Sectors spread out across the United States. Encompassing the U.S. territorial islands of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, it is the only Border Patrol Sector located outside the continental United States. The Sector's entire border area is made up of coastline and its area of responsibility is made up of some 6,000 square miles of land and water area, including the twelve-mile band of territorial water surrounding the Islands.

For anonymous tips, contact us at 1(800)981-1313.

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.

Last Modified: Oct 27, 2023