The Coast Guard offloaded more than 2,000 pounds of seized marijuana in Miami Beach Friday morning.
The 2,058 pounds of marijuana, worth an estimated $1.9 million, was seized during a patrol in the Caribbean in April, Coast Guard officials said.
"It's about 1.9 million dollars worth of marijuana, that is wholesale value, so a street value of that you can typically about triple that number," said Lt. Meaghan Gies, spokeswoman for the Coast Guard.
The crew onboard a Coast Guard helicopter spotted a go-fast vessel, and a small boat crew was sent to intercept it. When authorities boarded the 30-foot vessel, they took four suspected smugglers into custody and discovered 48 bales of marijuana, officials said.
The marijuana was found in bags labeled "Jamaican Cane Sugar."
"This seizure highlights the hard work and dedication of our crews in stopping the illegal flow of drugs in the Caribbean," Cmdr. Timothy Cronin, deputy chief of enforcement, said in a statement. "This interdiction demonstrates the effectiveness of our commitment to keep illicit drugs off our streets."
Officials said the four suspects will be prosecuted. One of the suspects smiled as he walked past reporters Friday, asking "How is your day?"
The Coast Guard has removed $22 million in marijuana and $1.8 billion in cocaine throughout the Caribbean this calendar year, officials said.
