COCAINE SEIZURE PRICE RISE 'BRIEF'

The seizure of a record 500 kilograms of cocaine worth $120 million by
Australian Federal Police and Customs officers near Sydney on Tuesday is
significant, but will have only a short-term impact on the illicit drug
trade in Australia, Federal police believe.

They say the seizure may lead to a small rise in the cost of a gram of
cocaine, but the black market price will fall back to its long-held
existing price of $200 a gram.

The forecast impact of the seizure came as Federal police arrested a
43-year-old Victorian prison escapee after Tuesday's seizure of the cocaine
on board the New Zealand yawl Ngaire Wha at Patonga on Broken Bay.

Four of those arrested in the two-day operation appeared before magistrate
Mr Alan Moore at Central Local Court yesterday.

They included Thomas Graham Fry, 47, whose solicitor, Ms Maggie Sten, told
reporters he had been given the title of "Sir" by his parents.The New
Zealand-born master mariner was charged with bringing a prohibited narcotic
into Australia.

Fry was arrested with Robert Roberti, 50, of Bondi, and Hamish Thomas, 46,
a New Zealand-born master mariner. Roberti and Thomas appeared before the
court on Tuesday. They, too, were remandedto appear before the court on
March 22.

Three other men- Peter Fox, 32, and Gary William Bartle, 46, both of Bondi,
and Maximilano Diaz, 46, from the western suburbs - appeared before Mr
Moore on similar charges yesterday.

Fox and Bartle were remanded in custody to appear before the court on March
22; Diazis to reappear on February 9.