March 19, 2019
A potentially record-breaking cocaine bust reportedly occurred Tuesday afternoon at the Port of Philadelphia.
Sources told 6ABC that multiple overseas shipping containers were stocked with the narcotic in "likely the largest cocaine bust the city has ever seen."
#DEVELOPING sources say an investigation at the Port of Philadelphia led to a massive cocaine bust. The seizure is right now being processed. @6abc pic.twitter.com/gw6aIhi0jf
— Christie Ileto (@Christie_Ileto) March 19, 2019
Contacted Tuesday afternoon, U.S. Customs & Border Protection Mid-Atlantic Region spokesman Stephen Sapp provided the following statement.
“Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Investigative Service, DEA, Delaware State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, Philadelphia Police Department, Nether Providence Police Department and the Office of the Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigation conducted a multi-agency inspection and discovered alleged contraband inside a shipping container at a Philadelphia seaport today. The case was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations. As a matter of policy, we do not discuss details of an investigation until it is appropriate to do so.”
Sources told NBC10 that Tuesday's shipment arrived aboard the MSC Desiree, which was traveling to Europe en route from Colombia. The container reportedly carried 450 kilograms (992 pounds) of cocaine with a street value of $18 million.
In January 2018, federal authorities seized 709 pounds of cocaine entering the Port of Philadelphia. That was the largest cocaine bust in Philadelphia since 2007, when officials seized 864 pounds of cocaine concealed in a shipping container from the Dominican Republic.
Additional details were not immediately available.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
