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Feds stop boat with 1,400 pounds of meth off Washington coast

This photo provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office shows a small boat with bags of methamphetamine after it was confiscated by authorities in the San Juan Islands on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. U.S. authorities say they stopped the boat after they saw it riding low in the water near the Canadian border with Washington state. (U.S. Attorney's Office via AP)

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – U.S. Customs and Border Patrol authorities arrested a 51-year-old man from Alberta, Canada Wednesday after they caught him trying to smuggle more than 1,400 pounds of methamphetamine near the San Juan Islands. 

Ted Karl Faupel is accused of intending to distribute methamphetamine and could face 10 years in prison for the amount of drugs he was found in possession of, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

Customs and Border Patrol officers said they spotted an 18-foot speedboat in the U.S. San Juan Islands Wednesday. The boat was traveling toward Canada and had Canadian registration numbers. The officers noticed the boat was riding low in the water near Stuart Island.  

Officers turned on the lights and sirens on their vessel and stopped the speedboat. 

The driver pulled back the cabin cover to review several duffle bags that were secured with small luggage padlocks. 

Officers cut one bag open and found what appeared to be crystal methamphetamine wrapped in shrink wrap. 

Authorities took Faupel into custody and his boat was taken to the Bellingham Coast Guard Station where a drug dog alerted officials to the presence of narcotics. 

In total, Customs and Border Patrol found 1,432 pounds of methamphetamine on the boat. Faupel also had a 9mm firearm on him at the time he was arrested. 

Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection will investigate the case.