Drug Traffickers Packed How Many Pounds of Cocaine into This Tube?

In this episode of “Stories from the Collection,” the DEA Museum explores the seizure of an underwater smuggling tube. In 2022, a Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO) clamped two metal tubes to a ship’s hull bound for Puerto Rico. Roughly 353 pounds (160 kilograms) of cocaine were packed inside. Learn how law enforcement partnerships help DEA catch drug traffickers despite their innovative smuggling techniques.

Learn about cocaine's effects on the mind and body, common street names, and more with the Cocaine Drug Fact Sheet.

Click here to view the artifact's collection spotlight. To learn more about the series “Stories from the Collection,” visit the Museum’s Newsroom.