AFTER TERRORISM, DRUG SEIZURES STILL PRIORITY FOR COAST GUARD

U.S. Coast Guard crews confiscated about 120,000 pounds of cocaine in the
past year, the third largest annual seizure recorded, officials said Wednesday.

Combined with about 40,000 pounds of marijuana, the year's entire drug bust
totaled about $3.9 billion.

In the past four years, the Coast Guard has taken 500,000 pounds of cocaine
valued at more than $16 million.

There are several reasons why this year's seizure was down from last year's
confiscation of about 138,400 pounds of cocaine, according to Alameda-based
Coast Guard spokeswoman Veronica Bandrowsky.

Coast Guard crews have been busy with other post-Sept. 11 terrorist-watch
tasks, the economy is down, and drug smugglers often steer clear of hot
spots if they know that authorities are looking for them.

Even so, Bandrowsky said, ``Drug seizures have not become a secondary
concern for us.''

Almost 94,000 pounds -- or about 80 percent -- of the cocaine seized for
the fiscal year 2002 was seized in the Eastern Pacific, most of it
originating in Colombia and Mexico. Most of the remaining drugs were seized
off the Caribbean.

Often, the drugs were seized from slim ``go-fast'' boats, which are
``stateless,'' meaning they don't claim a country of origin, Bandrowsky
said. Helicopter pilots typically notice bales of cocaine on board, she
said, and notify authorities. If boats are flying national flags, U.S.
crews must call those countries to seek permission to go aboard and search.
They may only board if there is a likelihood that a crime is being committed.

Cases that will be prosecuted are sent to the U.S. Attorney's Office in
Florida. Otherwise, suspects are typically sent back to their home countries.

This year, officials said the two biggest seizures included the Colombian
fishing vessel "Paulo'' south of the Galapagos Islands, which carried
25,300 pounds of cocaine, and the Mexican fishing vessel "Maeel'' off the
coast of Acapulco carrying about 20,400 pounds of cocaine.

The Coast Guard worked with the Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Customs, the
departments of Defense and Justice, as well as the countries of Colombia,
Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico.