13 Tons of Cocaine Found in Boat Hold

A Coast Guard crew has seized what authorities say could be up to 13 tons of cocaine--perhaps the largest maritime cocaine seizure in history, a law enforcement source said Sunday.

The cocaine was found on a fishing boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean, said the source, who requested anonymity. The boat was towed to San Diego on Sunday.

The ship, the Svesdu Maru, had 10 crew members aboard, all from Russia and Ukraine, the source said. The vessel is registered in Belize.

Arraignment for the crew on smuggling charges is expected this week in U.S. District Court in San Diego.

A news conference has been scheduled today in San Diego, where federal agencies are expected to disclose details of the seizure.

A U.S. Navy ship spotted the vessel about 1,500 miles south of San Diego. Investigators became suspicious because the ship did not have operable fishing equipment and was outside normal fishing grounds.

The Coast Guard cutter Active relieved the Navy ship after five days and continued looking for drugs. Authorities found the cocaine in a secret compartment underneath the fishing hold.

The ship, which carried 26,800 pounds of cocaine, was believed to be headed toward Central America or Mexico where its cargo would be smuggled overland into the United States.

The previous record for a cocaine seizure at sea was 24,000 pounds in 1995.

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The Associated Press contributed to this story.