TWO ARRESTED, 60 KILOS OF COCAINE FOUND, AFTER SPEEDBOAT CHASE OFF FORT
LAUDERDALE COAST

A law enforcement helicopter on a training mission noticed a boat off the
Fort Lauderdale coast Sunday afternoon and ended up with 60 kilos of
cocaine, the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Coast Guard said.

Two men aboard were arrested three miles south of Port Everglades after a
15-minute chase by the DEA, a Coast Guard helicopter and Coast Guard
cutter, said Petty Officer Anastasia Burns.

Agents in the DEA helicopter saw the 23-foot blue and white "go-fast"
powerboat about 10 miles off Fort Lauderdale about 3:45 p.m. and swooped in
to investigate, said DEA spokesman Joe Kilmer. The boat sped east and the
DEA called the Coast Guard. A pursuit helicopter and cutter based in Fort
Lauderdale "responded instantly," Kilmer said.

During the chase, the men dumped overboard two duffel bags, which were
recovered by the Coast Guard. The substance inside tested as cocaine,
Kilmer and Burns said.

At one point, the speedboat swerved and appeared to be trying to ram the
Coast Guard vessel, Kilmer said. That led pursuers to stop the powerboat at
gunpoint.

DEA agents arrested Francis Miller, 26, who said he was a Bahamian
resident; and Angel Sanchez, 55, of Miami. They are expected to be charged
today with conspiracy to import cocaine, Kilmer said.