Spain seizes large cocaine haul in Atlantic

MADRID, June 22 (Reuters) Spain today seized 3.5 tonnes of cocaine from a fishing boat in the Atlantic, one of its biggest drug seizures this year, police said.

Three Spaniards and one Colombian were arrested in the dawn swoop on the British registered ship, 'Pieterje', 500 miles from the southern port city of Cadiz. Police arrested a second Colombian in Madrid.

On board, police found 100 sacks of cocaine. The haul would be worth around 140 million euros (177 million dollars) on the streets of Madrid, where cocaine costs about 40 euros a gram.

U.S. drug enforcement officials say Europe is becoming an increasingly attractive market for Colombian drug cartels.

Spanish police seized a record 50 tonnes of the drug last year, although the country, and in particular the wild Galician coast, has long been a major entry-point for drug shipments from South America.

Police said they arrested the head of one of Galicia's best-known criminal gangs during the operation, following an investigation that stretched back to December last year.

The organisation provided the fishing vessel as well as speed boats to ferry the consignment, police said.

Reuters SB DB2101