Drug Cache Is Valued at $600 Million : U.S. Seizes Colombia Jet After Cocaine Is Found

WASHINGTON — Federal agents seized a Colombian Boeing 747 jet early Friday at Miami International Airport, two days after nearly 2,500 pounds of cocaine with a street value of about $600 million was found concealed in its cargo of Valentine flowers.

The seizure of the jet, which is owned by the Colombian government airline, Avianca, was one of the most aggressive actions yet in the U.S. crackdown on drug smuggling. The Customs Service accused airline employees of knowing that the cocaine was aboard.

In an attempted “sting” operation, federal agents Wednesday substituted white powder for the cocaine and allowed the shipment to continue as scheduled to Montreal on an Air Canada plane. However, no one had been arrested by late Friday.

To avoid raising suspicions, the Colombian jet was allowed to make another round trip to Colombia before it was seized.

U.S. Customs Commissioner William von Raab said the $100-million jumbo jet was seized Friday about three hours after it landed. The jet is the largest plane ever seized by U.S. agents.

Dennis Murphy, a customs spokesman, said he believes it is the first seizure of a plane owned by a foreign government.