The Region - News from April 25, 1986

The high seas seizure of five tons of marijuana from a ship has led to the indictment of eight men, including the captain and crew, a U.S. attorney’s spokeswoman said in Los Angeles. The 20-count indictment was handed down by a federal grand jury in Los Angeles, said Laura Henry of the U.S. attorney’s office. The defendants will be arraigned Monday on federal drug charges. The men, believed to be part of a major international drug ring, are accused of running tons of a potent marijuana known as Thai sticks through Thailand, Singapore, Hawaii and California using the ship Line Island Trader, Henry said. On April 15, a U.S. Coast Guard cutter intercepted the ship near Palmyra Atoll, 850 miles south of Hawaii. Authorities seized the ship, along with an estimated $45 million worth of marijuana, two cars and $30,000 in cash, Henry said.