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Mayport-based ship makes massive drug bust while on patrol

The USS Zephyr intercepted a boat carrying 35 bales of cocaine while on patrol in waters off Central America, the U.S. Navy said Thursday in a release.

The ship, a Cyclone-class patrol ship, was on a weeks-long patrol mission when it encountered a suspected drug smuggler on Oct. 29.

The crew detained the small boat and found a fortune in drugs. The crew recovered between 700 and 1,000 kilos of cocaine.

The street value is estimated to be between $17 million and $26 million.

The USS Zephyr returns to Jacksonville on Friday around 9 a.m.