A Florida fisherman reeled in a big catch over the weekend, but it turned out to be a massive load of illegal drugs.
The fisherman had just returned from sea on Saturday when he noticed a large package floating under a dock in Islamorada, Florida, a village located in the Florida Keys, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said Sunday.
(MORE: Louisiana police department invites people to turn in meth for 'testing')After using a pole and net to reel it in, the unidentified man said he opened the plastic-wrapped package and found between 40 and 60 pounds of suspected cocaine, the office said in a statement.
He immediately turned it over to the U.S. Coast Guard, which notified the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, according to the statement.
"The fisherman said he noticed something floating and used a gaff and a net to pull it out of the water," the statement said. "The outside plastic was ripped and he cut a corner, which revealed a white powder inside. ... The package contained 25 smaller packages wrapped in clear plastic."
(MORE: Doctor arrested after allegedly drugging date)The origin of the suspected cocaine remains under investigation, the sheriff's office added.
The mysterious package has since been turned over to federal authorities.