Washington, May 22 (ANI): U.S. authorities have recovered over 7,000 pounds of marijuana floating off the coast of Orange County in California.

The marijuana is estimated to be worth 3.6 million dollars and was packed into 160 bales atop a crate near Dana Point.

Three Harbour patrol ships and a Coast Guard cutter were sent to retrieve the bales from the Ocean, News York Daily News reports.

According to the Orange County Register, a boater first spotted the suspicious bales floating about 15 miles from shore on Sunday.

The Orange County Sheriff's Department responded and recovered numerous bales of marijuana, and turned the narcotics over to the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Border Patrol Agent Supervisor Michael Jimenez said.

An investigation is underway to determine where the pot came from.

Jimenez said the case is highly unusual, as marijuana bales are usually only dumped when someone is trying to flee authorities.

At other events, they've dumped the bales to get rid of weight if they're being chased, he told the Orange County Register.

Generally, in these cases, we're aware they're being dumped, he said.

What's more unusual is that the bales were floating with no boat in sight, he added. (ANI)