BAIL DENIED FOR MAN ACCUSED OF SMUGGLING

A man suspected of smuggling 550 pounds of cocaine across the Mexican
border in a twin-engine Cessna 320 was denied bail Thursday when he
appeared in federal court in Los Angeles.

"The government requested that Daniel Wesley Allen be detained and that was
granted," said Jeff Alabaso, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office. A
preliminary hearing for Allen was set for Aug. 27 with an arraignment Aug.
31, Alabaso said.

Allen was arrested Wednesday morning after authorities tracked his plane as
it approached the California-Mexico border with its transponder off, said
Customs spokesman Mike Fleming. The plane eventually landed at the Santa
Paula airport, Fleming said. Authorities met Allen there and found 14
duffel bags loaded with 550 pounds of cocaine and three loaded handguns on
the plane.

Customs officials said Allen is a U.S. citizen, but his age and hometown
were not immediately available.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski