US Seizes 'Al-Qaeda Drug Boat'

BBC ^ | 1-2-2004

[blam]

US seizes 'al-Qaeda drug boat'

The US navy has made a series of arrests on the region's seas

The US navy has intercepted a boat carrying drugs near the Gulf in what it says is a suspected al-Qaeda drugs trafficking operation. Fifteen people on board the vessel were arrested and the navy said it had found hashish with a street value of $11m hidden in compartments on board.

It is at least the third drug-smuggling boat to have been seized in two weeks in or near the Gulf.

A number of arrested sailors are being questioned, the Pentagon said.

US navy ships including the USS Port Royal, USS Peleliu and USS Germantown stopped the boat on Thursday in the northern Arabian Sea, said 5th Fleet spokesman Commander James Graybeal.

Searchers found the drugs on Friday under blocks of ice and in hidden compartments in the vessel, he said.

'War on terror'

The US is stepping up efforts to tackle al-Qaeda funding.

Two Arab sailing boats carrying illegal drugs were seized before Christmas in the northern Arabian Sea.

The US navy said the USS Decatur had seized almost two tons of hashish valued at up to $10m aboard a boat near the Straits of Hormuz.

Of the 12 people detained in that operation, the US said three had links to al-Qaeda.

Smuggling routes in the region are known to be used by al-Qaeda, says the US military, which describes the seizures as "a vital part of winning the global war on terror".

[RightWhale]

The 4th drug boat was seized today. That might be this one.

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[gov_bean_ counter]

The US is stepping up efforts to tackle al-Qaeda funding.

Can't be, Weird Howie said today that the Bush Administraton has forgotten about Al Qaeda.

[eastforker]

If we keep this up the price of drugs on the street are gonna soar out of sight. There is gonna be some mighty unhappy fellas wearing three piece suits in the better part of town.

[SoCal_Republican]

I spent way too many submarine mid-watches at periscope depth in the Strait of Hormuz dodging smugglers. "I have a drug smuggler on this bearing....mark! Lowering number two scope." .......brrrrrrrnnnnnn! It goes on all night.

[thatdewd]

It seems like all the qaeda drug busts are hashish, which never really makes it to America anyway. But hash is a big part of the European drug market. I think this drug war is designed to upset the hash smoking european peaceniks, lol.

[randog]

The US navy has made a series of arrests on the region's seas...

Arrests? They need to deep-six these guys. Stop the boat, check for drugs and upon finding them, back off and use the boat for target practice--with all on board. Word will get back to their fellow camel effers soon enough about how that game is played.