Cocaine Brick Washes Up at Florida Keys Resort, DEA Investigates

A kilo of suspected cocaine washed up at a luxury Florida Keys resort over the weekend, sparking an investigation by local authorities and the U.S. Border Patrol. The brick was discovered by a passerby at Hawk’s Cay Resort in Monroe County and marked with a distinctive logo, a common sign of cartel activity, officials said.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) explains that cartels often brand their drug shipments with logos, sometimes to identify specific customers. Recent finds have featured images like Nike logos and eagle artwork, which are used both on the packaging and inside the drugs themselves. The DEA’s Southeast Laboratory in Miami analyzes these drugs to determine their molecular composition and origins, with cocaine still representing the majority of the lab’s largest seizures.

While tracking specific criminal organizations linked to these shipments is challenging, the DEA and partner agencies, including U.S. Customs and the Coast Guard, are increasing efforts to intercept drugs before they reach U.S. shores. In recent months, several large cocaine busts have been made off Florida’s coast, including a 176-pound seizure off Fort Lauderdale in October.

DEA Special Agent Deanne Reuter stressed, “We’re coming for you” as authorities continue to tackle the growing scope of drug smuggling in the region.