US seize drug boat linked to al-Qaida

The US Navy has seized an al-Qaida boat that was carrying two tons of hashish in the Persian Gulf.

The guided missile destroyer Decatur intercepted the boat on Monday, said Central Command.

On board were two tons of drugs worth up to €7.9m and 12 people, four of whom have suspected ties to Osama bin Laden’s terror network, the statement said.

The boat, a wooden dhow, was near the Straits of Hormuz, the narrow part of the gulf between Iran and Oman.

The area is a known smuggling route used by Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network, the statement said.

American forces searching the boat found the drugs in 54 bags each weighing 70lbs.

The investigation that followed found clear ties between the drugs and al-Qaida, the military said.

The Decatur is part of a US Navy fleet that includes the nuclear powered aircraft carrier Enterprise.