On Easter Sunday, law enforcement officials in Texas discovered multiple packages of cocaine washed ashore in Jamaica Beach, a small coastal city along the Gulf of Mexico.

According to a statement posted by city officials on social media, officers from both the Jamaica Beach Police Department and the neighboring Galveston Police Department were involved in the recovery of the drugs.

Cocaine Discovered on Jamaica Beach

Authorities did not disclose the exact quantity or street value of the cocaine.

A photo released by the sheriff's office shows a package wrapped and sealed with tape, decorated with an image resembling a dune buggy. Officials believe the drugs originated from a smuggling operation offshore.

“It seems there was a raid on a ship offshore, and the crew started dumping large amounts overboard, and it's washing up on the coastline,” city officials stated on social media.

The city has urged anyone who discovers suspicious packages to contact the Jamaica Beach Police Department immediately. Authorities are concerned that more packages could continue to appear along the shore.

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Cocaine Landings Becoming Common on U.S. Beaches

This incident is part of a broader trend of illicit drugs washing up on beaches across the southern U.S., particularly in Florida. In August 2024, tourists in the Florida Keys found a package containing 16 bricks of suspected cocaine. Earlier that month, Hurricane Debby pushed 25 packages of the drug ashore. Police said those packages weighed around 70 pounds and were valued at over $1 million.

In June 2024, more than 65 pounds of cocaine were discovered floating off the Florida Keys, and divers recovered another 55 pounds submerged off the coast of Key West. That same month, about 55 pounds of cocaine also washed ashore on Dauphin Island, Alabama.

In 2024, cocaine has been found at least five times on or near the coastal regions of Texas, Alabama, and Florida.

Cocaine’s Journey to U.S. Shores

According to United Nations researchers, nearly 90% of the cocaine consumed in North America originates from Colombia. Traffickers typically use speedboats or semi-submersible vessels, dubbed “narco subs,” to transport the drug over the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.

When law enforcement gets too close, smugglers may jettison their cargo into the ocean to avoid arrest or arrange for later retrieval. However, storms and ocean currents often carry these packages ashore.