1,500 Pounds of Marijuana Seized off Catalina Island

Fishing the “high spot” at Catalina Island may have taken on a new meaning as Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies seized 1,500 pounds of marijuana at Little Harbor.

A man was spotted Tuesday near plastic-wrapped bales on the backside of Catalina, where 31 bales were later seized. The man was not immediately identified.

The man and the estimated 1,500 pounds of marijuana worth about $750,000
were first spotted about 4 p.m. by a deputy and a conservancy ranger on patrol on a small beach at Little Harbor, according to the sheriff's department.

The department's Air Rescue 5 helicopter arrived along with a special weapons team to help make the seizure and arrest.

Little Harbor is a popular fishing venue at Catalina Island. Anglers fish here for calico bass, white seabass and yellowtail. Anglers look for high spots or a rise in the oceans floor as they have a penchant for attracting baitfish and predators.

 The white sea-bass bite has very spotty so far this year prompting angler Bill Swift to enter the following Facebook entry:

“Tell them to dump it all along the backside. To give the wsb (white seabass) the munchies lol.”  

In the past, pangas originating from Baja California have been know to move drugs to the Channel Islands for drop-off and later redistribution. It is not known at this time if this was the case.

City News Services contributed to this report.