MEXICO LINKS PLANE THAT CRASHED TO DRUG TRADE

MEXICO CITY, June 24 (Reuters) - A plane that crashed in northern Mexico,
leading to false reports of a major air disaster, apparently was carrying
drugs, Mexican authorities said on Wednesday.

The single-engine Cessna 210 crashed into the mountains of Chihuahua state
on Tuesday night about 620 miles (1,000 km) north of Mexico City, the
Communications and Transport Ministry said in a press release.

The crash caused a sensation on Tuesday when, for unknown reasons, a
respected Mexican radio station said a charter plane with up to 85
passengers on board had crashed, and the Mexican Red Cross said it had been
informed of such an accident.

The government could not rule out a major crash until surveillance flights
were completed on Wednesday morning.

``At the site of the mishap were found two charred bodies and the destroyed
plane as well as, it appears, packages of marijuana,'' the ministry said.

The state of Chihuahua is on the border with Texas and is a major conduit
for shipping illegal drugs into the United States. Chihuahua includes the
border city of Ciudad Juarez, home of Mexico's most powerful drug cartel.

The ministry had earlier reported three dead in the crash of a twin-engine
plane -- details that went uncorrected for hours because of the accident's
remote location.

There was no indication of how much marijuana was on board.

Checked-by: Melodi Cornett