Pubdate: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA) Copyright: 1999 Union-Tribune Publishing Co. Website: http://www.uniontrib.com/ Forum: http://www.uniontrib.com/cgi-bin/WebX Contact: DRUG-LADEN PLANE CAPTURED IN MEXICO MEXICO CITY -- The Mexican army and police reported yesterday that their joint airborne drug interception network captured a small plane carrying half a ton of cocaine, after the craft landed at a Caribbean coast airstrip. Authorities detected the unregistered flight Sunday, when it entered Mexican airspace from South America. Military and police aircraft tailed the six-seat Piper PA-23 from the time it entered Mexican airspace until it landed at an isolated airstrip in the jungle about 190 miles south of Cancun. Police arrested the Colombian pilot and two Mexican suspects, and seized 1,016 pounds of cocaine. - --- MAP posted-by: Joel W. Johnson