see also: in October 2002:   Alleged Colombian Heroin Distributor Arrested in Chicago; Among 25 Charged in Operation Smackdown Led by Customs Agents   U.S. Customs Publishes Final Regulations to Require Advance Shipping Information   Customs Agent is Presented the Presidential Council on Integrity and Efficiency Award   U.S. Customs Inspectors Seize $7.6 Million in Cocaine at Hidalgo/Pharr in Five Days   More Than 300 Registered for Customs Trade Symposium 2002   Wang Pleads Guilty to Bribery, Smuggling in Export Scheme Involving Chinese Textiles   China Joins the U.S. in Container Security Initiative ...more

contacts for this news release

MIAMI, FL--An U.S. Customs Service P-3 AEW, drug interdiction aircraft, based in Jacksonville, Florida, was responsible for the seizure of 4,000 pounds of marijuana off the coast of Cuba Tuesday evening.

Late Tuesday afternoon, October 22, 2002, an U.S. Customs P-3 AEW (Advanced Early Warning) patrolling an area between the Eastern tip of Cuba and the southern Bahamas spotted a go-fast boat loaded with bales. As the Customs P-3 took a closer look, the suspected smugglers began tossing the bales overboard.

	Four thousand pounds of marijuana seized by U.S. Customs after a P-3 aircraft discovered smugglers tossing bales of marijuana overboard.

The P-3 crew, supporting the counter-drug operation named OPBAT (Operation Bahamas and Turks and Caicos) vectored the Coast Guard Cutter Manitow to the location. The go-fast boat was lost as it ran north towards the Bahamas in shallow water. The Manitow was able to recover 63 bales, filled with marijuana, as a direct result of the Customs P-3's ability to spot and mark the exact location of where the bales were tossed overboard.

Approximately, 4,000 pounds of marijuana were recovered from the water with a wholesale value of more than $3.6 million.

This is the third case during the past week where a Customs P-3, based out of Jacksonville, successfully spotted, identified and vectored other law enforcement agencies make seizures or arrests.