Ted Karl Faupel, a 51-year-old man from Alberta, Canada, was arrested on the water in the San Juan Islands on May 25 in a small watercraft loaded with more than 1,400 pounds of methamphetamine.

According to a United States District Court of Western Washington press release, Faupel was taken into custody after U.S. Customs and Border Patrol encountered the boat riding low in the water near Stuart Island.

Officers with CBP’s Office of Field Operations encountered the 18’ Bayliner Capri speedboat as it was headed towards Canada. The boat had Canadian registration numbers. The Customs and Border Patrol vessel used lights and a siren to get the watercraft to stop. The officers noted that the speedboat was riding very low in the water.

The boat’s driver, Faupel, agreed to pull back the cabin cover and the officers noted a number of duffle bags that were secured with small luggage padlocks. Acting on border search authority, officers made a small cut in one bag and observed shrink wrap packaging of what appeared to be crystal methamphetamine.

Faupel was taken into custody and the boat was brought to the Bellingham Coast Guard Station where a drug dog alerted to the presence of narcotics. In all, the boat contained 28 duffle bags filled with 539 packages of methamphetamine. The total weight was nearly 1,432 pounds.

The case is being investigated by Homeland Security in coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Faupel has been charged in the District Court of Western Washington with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Watts Staniar.

Due to the amount of drugs involved, Faupel faces a minimum of 10 years in prison. He was also in possession of a 9mm firearm at the time of his arrest.

“The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” the court’s press release stated.