By Nikki McCann Ramirez
A new invasive species has been spotted in the Florida Keys. It’s not a fish, it’s not a python, it’s giant floating blocks of cocaine. 
One such block was caught by Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and her family during a late July fishing trip near the city of Marathon. According to the Tampa Bay Times, which originally reported the mayor’s surprising haul on Tuesday, the family had been fishing for mahi mahi when they spotted a large black object in the water. 
Castor, who spent 31 years working for the Tampa Police Department, immediately identified the plastic-wrapped package as cocaine. The family hauled their catch on board, cut through the wrappings, and found more than $1 million dollars worth of drugs inside. 
The 70-pound haul was taken to shore, where it was handed over to federal agents. The Miami Border Patrol posted a photo of the drugs on social media, and originally attributed the find to a “recreational boater.” 

Over the weekend, Border Patrol agents in the Miami Sector seized 70 lbs. of cocaine that was discovered by a recreational boater in the #FloridaKeys. The drugs have an estimated street value of approx. $1.1 million dollars. #miami #florida #drugbust #Mondaymorning pic.twitter.com/etaiuwXrcK
The anonymous “boater” was not identified until the Times reported the mayor’s identity, but Castor is not the first fishing enthusiast to accidentally reel in some drugs. Earlier in July, boaters stumbled across 62 pounds of cocaine and  87 pounds of hashish near the Florida Keys, according to Border Patrol reports. 

As for the mayor and her family, the white whale they caught and released (into custody) was nearly matched in size by the amount of lobsters they brought in — about 60, according to the Times.
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