PHILIPSBURG--Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard officers intercepted a go-fast boat early Saturday morning. The operation started on Friday evening when the Dutch naval vessel stationed in the Caribbean, the Zr. Ms. Groningen, spotted a go-fast boat travelling without lights heading towards St. Maarten at high speed.
The Coast Guard began chasing the vessel and just after midnight the fast raiding interception special-forces craft FRISC from the Zr. Ms. Groningen intervened and intercepted the boat where they found two crew members and 128 kilos of cocaine.
One of the occupants jumped into the sea during that time. He was captured by the Coast Guard officers and claimed he had been going to fish with four other friends and their boat had sunk. He was completely naked when he was captured and told investigators that his leg was injured and that he came from Venezuela.
Despite doubts, the Coast Guard officers still searched for the boat the man claimed had sunk and anyone who had drowned, but they came up empty-handed. They arrested the two crew members and the man they had rescued at sea was handed over to police. The investigation is ongoing.
