WALTON COUNTY, FL - A series of suspicious black packages that have been washing ashore on Florida beaches in recent days have been confirmed to contain a significant amount of cocaine, according to local law enforcement. The discovery has prompted warnings from authorities to beachgoers to exercise caution and immediately report any similar finds.

Most recently, on Sunday, June 29, a beachgoer in Walton County made a shocking discovery of 25 black-wrapped bricks, each marked with an image of the popular cartoon character Yosemite Sam. The Walton County Sheriff's Office quickly responded, confirming the contents to be approximately half a million dollars worth of cocaine. The illicit drugs have been confiscated and logged into evidence, though their precise origin remains under investigation.

This incident follows a similar find just days prior in Baldwin County, Alabama, where a substantial quantity of cocaine, estimated at $1.5 million, washed ashore on the Fort Morgan Peninsula. Those packages, also wrapped in black plastic, contained 50 individually wrapped kilos of cocaine. Authorities there noted that barnacles on the packages indicated they had been in the water for some time.

Law enforcement agencies in Florida and Alabama are collaborating with federal authorities, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), to determine the source of these drug shipments. The way the packages are wrapped and any identifying markings on the bundles are being analyzed for clues.

While these recent finds have garnered significant attention, authorities emphasize that it is not uncommon for packages of illicit drugs, including marijuana, hashish, and cocaine, to wash ashore along Florida's coastline, particularly after storms or hurricanes. Officials routinely advise the public to never touch or open suspicious packages found on beaches, as their contents could be extremely harmful. Instead, they urge immediate notification of local law enforcement.

Mystery Solved: Black Packages on Florida Beaches Contain Cocaine

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