Drug smuggling boat wrecks, 80 pounds of pot found north of Santa Cruz - San Jose Mercury News
A wrecked motorboat and 80 pounds of packaged marijuana were found on Four Mile Beach north of Santa Cruz on Monday, yet authorities said several hundred pounds more pot likely was smuggled to the beach earlier in the morning.
Authorities believe the 20-foot boat with twin outboard motors came from Mexico to meet a pickup or other vehicle on the beach.
"These boats can hold a few thousand pounds of marijuana," said Santa Cruz County sheriff's deputy Ryan Kennedy. To make the smugglers' trip worthwhile, investigators believe they had much more marijuana than was found on the beach.
About 10:55 a.m., a beach-goer reported a white boat overturned in the shore break on the south end of the beach.
Cal Fire initially responded, as well as State Parks rangers in a pickup and two State Parks on personal watercraft. No one was spotted near the vessel when authorities arrived, said Kennedy.
An outboard engine had broken off the boat's stern and boat was tumbled into the surf -- which was a rising northwest swell with 6- to 8-foot waves.
Authorities found four 20-pound packages of pot and six, 12-gallon containers of gasoline on the sand. The pot had an estimated street value of $96,000, according to the Sheriff's Office.
"This is lower grade marijuana than we see in Santa Cruz," said Kennedy.
He noted that the drug might have been headed for other parts of the state and nation.
No one was arrested and no suspects have been identified.
The California Highway Patrol, U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security also responded to the call.
"If someone saw anyone loading or unloading cargo anywhere on the North Coast, please give the Sheriff's Office a call," said Kennedy.
During the investigation Monday afternoon, surfers were blocked from the popular dirt trail to the beach.
A handful of lucky surfers remained in the water while the beach was closed, savoring the clean conditions with a limited crowd.
"It's cool because there's no one out," said Duane Keyzer, a longtime Four Mile surfer who was in the water during the investigation. He said he saw deputies with rifles on the cliff.
"It was unreal seeing them in action," said Keyzer.
Deputies said the wrecked boat and marijuana might have been related to another drug smuggling ring discovered on the North Coast on July 27.
In that case, a State Parks ranger spotted a similar Panga-style motorboat at Shark Tooth beach north of Bonny Doon Beach about 9:40 a.m.
Authorities arrived and four men fled, but they were later arrested on suspicion of transportation of marijuana. Officials found and seized 1,200 pounds of marijuana valued at $2.1 million.
The arrested men included Silviano Davalos Jr., 30, of San Luis, Ariz.; Jose Luis Martinez-Ruiz, 34, of Los Angeles; Jose Martin Garcia, 30, of Los Angeles; and Alex Cerna, 24, of Los Angeles, said Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team Cmdr. Mario Sulay.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office asks anyone with information to call dispatch at 831-471-1121.
Two of the bales of marijuana recovered at 4 Mile Beach sit on the back of a State Parks' lifeguard truck Monday
A State Parks lifeguard on a personal watercraft scours the water off of 4 Mile Beach for debris and to make sure there wasn't a body to recover in connection with a smuggler's capsized boat
Authorities at Four Mile beach Sept. 30, 2013
Authorities at Four Mile beach the morning of Sept. 30
