Tampa Bay Mayor Jane Castor made a surprising discovery while on a fishing trip with her family in the Florida Keys earlier this summer. The mayor, who previously served as Tampa's police chief, reeled in a package containing 70 pounds of cocaine, estimated to be worth more than $1 million. Castor's younger brother first spotted the black package floating in the water, mistaking it for shade attracting larger fish. However, upon closer inspection, they noticed a rip in the package and tightly wrapped bricks of cocaine inside.

Castor immediately recognized the illegal substance, given her extensive background in law enforcement. She contacted the Monroe County Sheriff's Office to report the find and ensure the proper authorities were notified. Federal agents ultimately seized the drugs from the mayor's possession. Chief Patrol Agent Walter Slosar of the U.S. Border Patrol's Miami Sector confirmed the seizure on social media, stating that the drugs had an estimated street value of $1.1 million.

This incident was not the first time that cocaine bales with high street values had washed ashore in Florida. In April of this year, packages of cocaine were discovered on three different beaches in Walton County, between Destin and Panama City Beach along the Florida panhandle. Each package had a unique design, with one even mimicking the Chanel brand logo, according to the Walton County Sheriff's Office.

Mayor Castor and her family had been enjoying a fishing trip as part of their annual tradition to participate in the two-day lobster harvest held in late July. While they did not catch any more drugs during their vacation, they did manage to pull in around 60 lobsters. The mayor expressed relief that her family was not suspected of any wrongdoing and joked about their initial concerns.

The discovery of drugs floating in the waters of Florida is not an uncommon occurrence. In May, a good Samaritan found a floating brick of cocaine weighing approximately 2.7 pounds while boating near the Florida Keys. Additionally, in May 2021, more than 65 pounds of cocaine with a value exceeding $1 million washed ashore at Cape Canaveral Space Station, according to the U.S. Space Force.

Mayor Castor's encounter with the illegal substance highlights the ongoing issue of drug trafficking in the region and the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in combating the problem. It also serves as a reminder that even public officials can stumble upon illicit activities in unexpected places.