Pubdate: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 Source: Reuters Copyright: 1999 Reuters Limited. 'FISHY' MIAMI CARGO YIELDS COCAINE STASH MIAMI (Reuters) - Customs inspectors at the Miami airport thought something was fishy when no one turned up Monday to collect a shipment of fresh grouper and tuna. The inspectors subsequently found the shipment contained 2,720 pounds (1,236 kg) of cocaine that could be part of a drug conspiracy by Miami airport ramp workers, Customs spokeswoman Norma Morfa said. The cache was seized early Monday from an Arrow Air cargo plane that landed at Miami International Airport from Guayaquil, Ecuador, shortly after 1 p.m., Morfa said. Customs agents on routine duty met the plane and checked the cargo manifest, which listed 50 boxes of fresh grouper, tuna and congrio. "Our inspectors were around this shipment, waiting for somebody to pick up the shipment of fish. It became suspicious because it's highly perishable and Arrow Air does not have freezer containers," Morfa said. Inspectors opened the boxes and found 22 of them contained bundles of cocaine, she said. "There is suspected airport employee conspiracy," Morfa said, but did not elaborate. Last week, federal authorities in Miami charged 58 American Airlines ramp workers and food contractors with conspiring to smuggle what they believed were cocaine, grenades and guns onto passenger planes at the Miami airport. Arrow Air could not immediately be reached for comment. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D