DEA investigates after more than 60 pounds of cocaine wash ashore

A not so average day along the southern coast near a popular restaurant. 

It’s routine. Every morning, staff from Jeff’s Pirates Cove in Ipan would make rounds around the beach to clean up and pick up washed up things. However, last Thursday, something unexpected arrived.

Kitchen Supervisor Wener Head was fishing last Thursday when he noticed something out of the ordinary along the shore.

He explained, “I was standing over here and then looking at that thing, it’s a buoy. I need to open it and check if it's a buoy I can use for my line, fishing line.”

When asked if he’s ever encountered something like this before, he responded, “No never, I didn’t know how it looked or what it is, figure out what bag soIi called Jeff to come see it.” 

His boss, restaurant owner Jeff Pleadwell says he saw the white brick and could only assume it was drugs. That's when they contacted the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and they confirmed it was a large load of cocaine.

Pleadwell said, “He spread it out on this shore and counted it and it was and it was 29 kilos of suspected cocaine. Later on, they told me yesterday it was cocaine.”

He was stunned at the amount discovered, he said, “Well, I had seen in the newspaper that people found barrels of cocaine in inarajan and stuff like that. I just felt the fed and the DEA were the people to call right away.”

DEA Special Agent Ken Bowman confirmed that the bricks found on the beach are indeed cocaine. The DEA seized the bricks immediately after being alerted. 

In 2018, more than six pounds of cocaine washed up on Guam's shores and led to multiple arrests. But, Bowman told KUAM it’s rare for the drug to wash up on our shores. 

The feds suggested the drugs could have been from an illegal shipment possibly headed to Australia, New Zealand or elsewhere in Asia.

Meantime, no word if authorities have been able to track down any suspects linked to this latest drug find.