YACHT IN POUNDS 40M COCAINE HAUL

Three British women were yesterday arrested after the discovery of
pounds sterling 40m of cocaine on a luxury yacht and a nearby beach -
the biggest seizure of the drug in the UK.

The women were among eight people detained after 50 officers from
Customs and Excise and the National Crime Squad swooped on the 37ft
boat early this morning off the coast of the Isle of Wight.

Three hundred kilos of the drug were in the process of being unloaded
from the boat onto a rigid inflatable vessel.

A further 200 kilos were discovered on a nearby beach.

It is understood that the British suspects, three women and a man,
live in the south of England. A Customs spokesman said: ``This is the
biggest ever seizure of cocaine in the UK.'' The other four arrested
were all men, from France, America and Venezuela.

The drugs were aboard an American-registered yacht called the Blue Hen.

Jim Fitzpatrick, assistant chief investigations officer for Customs,
said: ``This is the culmination of several months of close liaison
between Customs and the National Crime Squad.

``We believe that this joint operation has resulted in a major
seizure of illegal drugs and will have a serious impact on the supply
of cocaine throughout the UK.''

Neil Giles, head of operations for the eastern area of the National
Crime Squad, said: ``This is a major blow to the organised
importation of illegal drugs.''

It was unclear where the boat started its voyage.