Honduran authorities seize 400 kg of cocaine

TEGUCIGALPA, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Honduran police and army forces Monday seized at least 400 kg of cocaine in the jungle, but failed to capture the drug traffickers who managed to escape in a plane, a spokesman from the Public Security Ministry said.

The joint army and police operation was conducted in La Mosquita in northeastern Honduras, said Hector Ivan Mejia. The drug had been wrapped in 15 bales and was confiscated after being unloaded from a light aircraft.

During the operation, the authorities clashed with the drug traffickers, who managed to escape in the aircraft, said Mejia.

Honduran police also seized two vehicles the traffickers apparently intended to use to transport the drugs.

In the first 10 months of last year, Honduran authorities confiscated 11.6 tons of illicit drugs with an estimated street value of 550 million U.S. dollars.