Florida is America’s id, and when America wants some cocaine, you better believe Florida is going to come through.
Image: Instagram
According to various local reports, famed Florida fisherman Mark Quartiano — also known as “Mark the Shark” — made an unusual catch on Wednesday. Rather than hauling in a poor, brightly coloured fish or random hot women in bikinis, Mark the Shark ended up with a brick of cocaine covered in barnacles.
#VERYRARE, indeed.
“I’ve found marijuana, but never cocaine like this,” Mark the Shark told the Miami New Times. “One of my friends said — he was an old smuggler back in the day — that it could be cash, lots of cash. So I don’t know, we’ll have to see, but if it’s cash, it belongs to me.”
Mark the Shark noted that he called the Coast Guard following the discovery. When we called them this afternoon, a Coast Guard spokesperson confirmed the incident, but told us they had closed their investigation and turned it over to US Customs and Border Protection. A call to CBP wasn’t immediately returned.
Self-described as “the most recognised name in shark fishing in the world”, Mark the Shark has drawn criticism from conservationists. Mark the Shark doesn’t seem to give a damn, though, and appears to be more concerned with his boat.
“[The cocaine is] worth a lot of money street value,” Quartiano told the New Times. “I could use some renovations for my boat. We’ll see.”