A local U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) cutter crew recovered approximately 3,200 pounds of marijuana floating off the coast of Mission Beach Wednesday, USCG officials confirmed.



According to officials, a Navy helicopter spotted multiple bales of marijuana floating roughly 30 miles west of Mission Bay and alerted Coast Guard Sector San Diego.



The cutter crew – with help from a Coast Guard Jayhawk helicopter crew and Customs and Protection Blackhawk helicopter crew – were able to locate 72 bales of pot. An additional five bales were later recovered by another response boat crew.



The drugs were turned over to the Marine Task Force San Diego for disposal, USCG officials said. The source of the bales is not yet known.



The investigation is ongoing.



Anyone with information about maritime smuggling or suspicious activity along the coast of Southern California should contact the Sector San Diego U.S. Coast Guard Joint Harbor Operations Center at (800) 854-9834.

