Spain seizes 3,200 kg of cocaine in Atlantic

MADRID, Sep 28 (Reuters) Spanish authorities seized more than three tonnes of cocaine from a wooden fishing boat they found far out in the Atlantic Ocean this week, the government tax office said today.

The stash would have been worth more than 190 million euros (270 million dollars) had it made it to the street in Spain, one of the main entry points drug smugglers use to bring cocaine from Latin America to Europe.

The tax office, which is in charge of fighting contraband, said it had seized 20 tonnes of cocaine so far this year as well as 115 tonnes of hashish, most of which comes in to the country from north Africa.

The Venezuelan-registered fishing boat Zeus X was found out 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from the coast on Tuesday. The crew -- seven Venezuelans and an Ecuadorean -- were arrested.

REUTERS SS RAI1832