NAVY RAID YIELDS $3M IN DRUGS

Heroin, Methamphetamine Seized; Possible Al-Qaeda Link Probed

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - U.S. sailors seized an estimated $3 million worth of
drugs yesterday as an Arab sailing crew in the northern Arabian Sea tossed
the bags overboard.

Authorities were investigating whether al-Qaeda was linked to the shipment.

The seizure of 85 pounds of heroin came a day after the U.S. Navy announced
the confiscation Dec. 15 of two tons of hashish believed to be tied to
Osama bin Laden's terror network.

That seizure, in the Persian Gulf, was considered by Western analysts to be
some of the first hard evidence of al-Qaeda links to drug smuggling.

In a daybreak raid conducted yesterday, sailors on the guided-missile
cruiser USS Philippine Sea boarded two traditional Arab sailing boats, or
dhows, and detained 21 crew members, according to a statement issued by the
U.S. Navy 5th Fleet The dhows were confiscated.

A U.S. Navy aircraft filmed the crew of one boat throwing approximately 200
bags of suspected drugs overboard as it "attempted to outrun" the Navy
cruiser, according to the statement.

Officials believe the bags contain pure heroin with a minimum street value
of $1.5 million.

On the other boat, sailors seized approximately 150 pounds of
methamphetamine with a street value estimated at $1.5 million.

Rear Adm. Jim Stavridis said in the statement that U.S. officials are
"investigating potential al-Qaeda connections to these operations. "

The Australian, British, New Zealand, and U.S. air forces tracked the
sailing craft for two days after receiving intelligence information gleaned
from the Dec. 15 seizure.

During that operation, sailors from the guided missile destroyer USS
Decatur seized a sail boat in the Persian Gulf that was carrying two tons
of hashish and detained 12 crew members, three of whom were suspected of
having links to aI-Qaeda.