MARATHON, Fla. — In the Florida Keys, a Lithuanian sailboat was discovered by a sheriff’s K-9, resulting in the confiscation of 167 pounds of cocaine.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) provided assistance to federal law enforcement agents during the investigation, leading to the seizure of 64 cocaine bricks on June 13 at Burdines Waterfront Marina in Marathon.
Matas Vezauskas, a 32-year-old mariner from Lithuania, was arrested and charged with cocaine trafficking. According to the sheriff’s office, Vezauskas was the sole occupant of the boat, which had arrived from another country without complying with the check-in procedures of U.S. Border Protection and Customs.
After federal authorities transferred the case to the Sheriff’s Office for further examination, Vezauskas was apprehended.
Sheriff Rick Ramsay expressed his gratitude to the Special Operations Unit Detectives, K-9 Mako, and their federal law enforcement counterparts for their diligent efforts in removing these dangerous drugs from the streets.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Border Patrol, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection all provided assistance in this case.
