MARATHON, Fla. — Two Tampa men were arrested Saturday after about 170 gallons of gasoline were found in a boat they were operating in the Florida Keys, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.
Giovanny Vigoa, 44, and Juan Rubio, 42, face charges of illegally transporting gasoline.
Sheriff's spokesman Adam Linhardt said multiple containers of gasoline were found in the cabin of the boat when deputies stopped it on the Gulf of Mexico side of Marathon.
Linhardt said the men also had a satellite phone, a fuel transfer pump, large amounts of bottled water, an array of apples, and a GPS that had been thrown overboard. Linhardt said there were also two small fishing rods that weren't typical for saltwater fishing, and there was no bait or tackle on the boat.
He said the items were consistent with an illegal smuggling operation.
Both men were taken to jail. It's not immediately clear if they'll face federal charges.
