TWO HELD AFTER IEP25M KINSALE COCAINE HAUL

A MASSIVE cocaine haul found on board a yacht in the fashionable Cork town
of Kinsale is worth more than IEP25m, according to customs authorities.

The search of the Spanish-registered catamaran Gemeos will continue today,
following the discovery of almost 300kg of cocaine.

A spokesman for the Revenue Commissioners described it as "a very
significant find" and said the method of concealing the drugs had been one
of the cleverest encountered by customs. Officers began taking the boat
apart yesterday after finding 160kg of the drug hidden under bedding of the
catamaran on Friday. A further search yielded another 140kg in a water tank
and bulkhead.

Two men, one Irish and one English, were being held for questioning in
Bandon last night and a Spaniard is also being sought. They can be held for
seven days under drug trafficking legislation.

The yacht may originally have come from Colombia, before stopping off in
Tenerife in the Canary Islands and then crossing the Atlantic to the
southwest coast of Ireland.

In contrast to other drug seizures from vessels which have sought shelter
on Ireland's west coast from storms, customs officials believe the
consignment was destined for this country.

Customs officials became suspicious after routine questioning of the crew
and decided to initiate a detailed search of the boat. Specially trained
"search and rummaging" officers discovered the drugs hidden in "expertly
designed" compartments.

An international drugs gang is believed to be behind the shipment. The
seizure is the second biggest drug seizure in Irish history.

Checked-by: Pat Dolan