San Jose Mercury News
An alluring catch in the Florida Keys isn't a fish. It's cocaine.
xCruzo Brief
In the Florida Keys, cocaine has become a floating hazard known locally as “square grouper.” This summer, lobster divers retrieved a plastic-wrapped brick of cocaine from waters off Big Pine Key, about 30 miles northeast of Key West. Unable to locate sheriff’s deputies, the boat captain left the package on the hood of a fire-rescue ambulance. The brick was printed with religious imagery and the Spanish words “With God.” Federal prosecutors say John Strama, 44, used his knowledge of tides and currents to target similar cocaine bricks, leading to his 10-year prison sentence. Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay said cocaine packages surface nearly every week.
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