Florida beachgoers discover weird stuff washed ashore. Authorities frequently seize drugs in bundles after concerned residents report their discovery.
Tragically, reports of human remains occur frequently enough to be unsettling.
Human Tragedies
On Tuesday, November 12, 2024, a human head washed ashore on Key Biscayne. A beach worker discovered the remains while raking the busy tourist beach near the 200 block of Crandon Boulevard about 8:30 a.m., according to Miami-Dade Police.
Key Biscayne responded to the worker’s request and confirmed that the head was human. We alerted Miami-Dade police, who are currently conducting an investigation. The medical examiner’s office is responsible for determining the identification of the deceased and the manner of death.
Currently, the remains seem to belong to a male, and the investigation is not considering a homicide. All possibilities are open, including a missing individual, an accident, or homicide.
The Intracoastal Waterway in Delray discovered human remains in a suitcase on July 21, 2023. The victim was dismembered and spread in much luggage discovered in the same location. That case has been solved.
Narcotics
Hurricane activity stirred up the seas of Southeast Florida, causing around 70 pounds of narcotics to float to the surface. Authorities seized packages of cocaine on a beach near Islamadora, Florida Keys, on August 4, 2024. Officials estimated a street value of more than $1 million.
A week later, sailors discovered around 56 pounds of cocaine in a package of individually wrapped kilos drifting in the mangroves off Panther Key. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office reported the street value at $625,000.
Unforgiving Seas
Drug smugglers use every possible method to deliver their merchandise. They occasionally drop goods from tiny aircraft to vessels caught in the current and washed up on the Florida Keys coasts.
Two weeks after the United States Coast Guard reported seizing more than 14,100 pounds of cocaine with a street value of more than $186 million from a vessel carrying the narcotics through the Caribbean to Florida, sailors fished out an additional 62 pounds in July 2023.
This followed a $2.3 million haul discovered in the Florida Keys in January and turned over to the US Border Patrol.
Unfortunately, when human bodies wind up in the ocean, various elements come into play, including currents, scavengers, and sharks. Additional factors like oxygen levels, temperature, pressure, and salinity can all have an impact on decomposition. The cause of their death in the water—accident or intentional throwing—is unknown.
If you notice anything unusual in Florida’s waters or shoreline, please alert the appropriate authorities.
