SAN JUAN (Puerto Rico, US), Nov 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — One United States border agent was killed and two injured Thursday in a shootout with suspected traffickers off Puerto Rico’s west coast, a federal spokesperson said.
At around 8 am local time, three US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) maritime agents spotted a suspicious vessel some 22 kilometers west of Cabo Rojo, said Jeffrey Quinones, CBP spokesman in the US island territory.
He said that when they approached the boat, its two occupants — who he said were believed to be traffickers — opened fire on them.
The border patrol fired back and killed one of the suspects while the other was injured.
“The three agents were injured in the exchange of fire. One of them was transported to a hospital on the west of the island and unfortunately died,” said Quinones.
The other two agents were taken to a medical center in the island’s capital, San Juan.
The shootout comes a day after border agents seized 90 kilograms of cocaine — with an estimated value of $2 million — near Guajataca beach in the northern municipality of Quebradillas.
The cocaine was found scattered next to a makeshift boat, with the body of a man trapped under the vessel. — NNN-AGENCIES
