$18 Million Marijuana Bust On Boat Found South Of Big Sur

Sheriff’s deputies arrested four men Friday, after deputies connected them to a boat found with a large amount of marijuana inside.

At 1:30 a.m., deputies, along with members of the Monterey County Specialized Team Intervention Narcotics and Gangs Task Force, responded to reports of a fishing boat, discovered at Mill Creek picnic area, located near State Route 1 at Mill Creek Road, in Los Padres National Forest, according to sheriff’s officials.

When deputies arrived, they discovered the boat sitting on rocks a few feet from the shoreline. Inside, the boat contained over one hundred bales of marijuana, sheriff’s officials said.

Deputies estimate the street value of the marijuana to be approximately $18 million. At the time of the discovery there was no one around, however, deputies received evidence that signaled the suspects were still in the area, according to sheriff’s officials.

With assistance from the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office, a vehicle was identified and stopped.

Deputies determined the four men inside the vehicle were connected to the boat, and arrested the four, sheriff’s officials said. They’ve identified the men as Alejandro Acosta, 25, Jesus Garibay, 24, and Felix Garibay, 18, all of Yuma, Arizona, and Gonzalo Quezara, 27, of Riverside.

Deputies booked the men into the Monterey County Jail and seized the boat and bales of marijuana as evidence, sheriff’s officials said.

--Bay City News