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Massive cocaine seizure was bigger than first thought

The street value from a seizure at a Philadelphia port was initially $1 billion. Officials just upped it.
Credit: AP
A fraction of the cocaine seized from a ship at a Philadelphia port is displayed ahead of a news conference at the U.S. Custom House in Philadelphia, Friday, June 21, 2019. Federal officials have estimated the seized drugs had a street value of more than $1 billion. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

PHILADELPHIA — Editor's note: The video above indicates amounts from the initial findings, not the updated numbers.

Federal authorities have upped the amount of cocaine they say they've seized from a ship at the Philadelphia port to more than 35,000 pounds, or 15,876 kilograms.

They said Friday it's the largest cocaine haul in the history of U.S. Customs. They put the street value of the drugs at $1.1 billion.

Credit: AP
Officers stand guard over a fraction of the cocaine sized from a ship at a Philadelphia port is seen ahead of a news conference at the U.S. Custom House in Philadelphia, Friday, June 21, 2019. Federal officials have estimated the seized drugs had a street value of more than $1 billion. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection says the investigation has now resulted in the arrests of six crew members. They are due for hearings Monday in federal court.

Agents are still inspecting containers aboard the MSC Gayane, which was sailing under a Liberian flag.

Credit: AP
A fraction of the cocaine seized from a ship at a Philadelphia port is displayed ahead of a news conference at the U.S. Custom House in Philadelphia, Friday, June 21, 2019. Federal officials have estimated the seized drugs had a street value of more than $1 billion. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Authorities boarded the ship Sunday night for a routine screening, and a full investigation began Monday.

Under heavy security, federal agents displayed thousands of pounds of seized cocaine during a briefing at Philadelphia's Custom House.

Credit: AP
A fraction of the cocaine seized from a ship at a Philadelphia port is displayed ahead of a news conference at the U.S. Custom House in Philadelphia, Friday, June 21, 2019. Federal officials have estimated the seized drugs had a street value of more than $1 billion. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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