2 are killed in a shootout near Puerto Rico with federal agents

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Two suspected drug traffickers were killed early Sunday in a shootout with federal agents off Puerto Rico’s northeast coast, officials said.

The incident occurred shortly after midnight, when authorities detected a suspicious boat at sea and a chase ensued, Jeffrey Quiñones, spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, told The Associated Press.

The chase ended when the suspected drug traffickers shot at the federal agents, who returned fire, Quiñones said. Quinones stated that two of six suspects were killed and four were detained. A federal agent was not injured.

Quiñones said drugs were found aboard the boat and in the water, but no further details were immediately available.

He stated that it was not possible to confirm the nationality of the suspects.

The deadly chase comes two months after a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent and a suspected drug smuggler died in a shootout off Puerto Rico’s southwest coast. Two other agents were also hurt and had to be admitted after the incident.

The FBI is currently investigating the latest fatal shooting. A spokeswoman for the FBI did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Puerto Rico is a popular destination for drug traffickers from South America. Agents seized cocaine worth $26 million in October close to Vieques Island and $9 million on a boat during routine cargo inspections in San Juan.