Authorities in Puerto Rico have arrested a suspected cocaine smuggler after a maritime operation in San Juan Harbor led to the seizure of a large quantity of illegal drugs valued at more than US$5 million.

According to reports from the U.S. Coast Guard and partner law enforcement agencies, the incident occurred on January 28 when the tug Signet Thunder was towing the barge San Juan-JaxBridge toward the Old Army Terminal in San Juan Harbor. During the transit, a crew member from an assisting tug boarded the barge for routine line-handling operations and discovered an unauthorized individual onboard.

The tug's crew immediately notified authorities and remained offshore to prevent the suspect from escaping. Coast Guard personnel, along with officers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and local law enforcement units, responded to the scene. Shortly after arriving, responding crews located a person in the water along with several bales of suspected narcotics.

Investigators later recovered ten bales of cocaine weighing approximately 358 kilograms, or about 789 pounds. Authorities estimated the wholesale value of the seized drugs at more than US$5 million. The suspect was taken into custody and is expected to face federal drug trafficking charges.