AGUADILLA, Puerto Rico –U.S. Border Patrol agents and the Joint Forces for Rapid Action (FURA, for its Spanish acronym) of the Puerto Rico Police Department seized 1,724 pounds (782 Kilos) on Monday and $1.3 million in undeclared currency on Saturday, during separate incidents that occurred in the eastern and western coasts of Puerto Rico. The estimated value of the seized narcotics is $19.5 million.

“Once again, our partnerships and collective efforts resulted in a successful response to these smuggling attempts through our coastal borders. Keeping our communities safe continues to be one of our top priorities and we encourage everyone to assist us in our mission. If you see something suspicious, call us,” stated Xavier Morales, Chief Patrol Agent of the Ramey Sector.

On Mar. 2, U.S. Border Patrol Ramey Station agents responded to a maritime smuggling event in the area of Playa Sucia, Cabo Rojo. FURA, an Operation Stonegarden partner, encountered a vessel on the rocks.

Border Patrol and FURA agents were able to apprehend one adult male from the Dominican Republic and nineteen (19) bales of apparent narcotics. The 24-foot fiberglass vessel sunk at the location and was unrecoverable.

Border Patrol agents assumed custody of the illegal alien and seized 19 bales of cocaine. The illegal alien and the 19 bales of cocaine were transferred to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for further investigation.

On Feb 29, a FURA Marine unit found the vessel traveling westbound traveling westbound without navigational lights near the island of Culebra, Puerto Rico.

During pursuit by the FURA unit, the four occupants jettisoned five bags from the vessel. A FURA Unit recovered two bags from the water.

At the FURA station, Border Patrol agents arrested the four subjects and seized a 23-foot Manta vessel with two Johnson 90 HP outboard engines and $1.3 million in undeclared currency.

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

The Ramey Sector is the newest 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.

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