PHILADELPHIA (AP) — U.S. authorities have seized more than $1 billion worth of cocaine from a ship at a Philadelphia port, calling it one of the largest drug busts in American history.
The U.S. attorney’s office in Philadelphia announced the massive bust on Twitter on Tuesday afternoon. Officials said agents seized about 16.5 tons (15 metric tons) of cocaine from a large ship at the Packer Marine Terminal.
U.S. Attorney William McSwain said in a tweet that so much cocaine “could kill millions — MILLIONS — of people.”
The drug seizure is the latest in a series of large cocaine busts along the East Coast.
Authorities say members of the ship’s crew have been arrested and charged.