November 8, 2009 in Nation/World

Huge opium seizure made in Mexico

Associated Press The Spokesman-Review

MORELIA, Mexico – The Mexican army said Saturday it has seized a shipment of almost a quarter-ton of opium in the country’s northern mountains, one of the largest such seizures made in Mexico.

The 448 pounds of opium paste was found Thursday hidden in nine plastic containers in the township of Guadalupe y Calvo, in the border state of Chihuahua, the Defense Department said in a statement.

Seven rifles, three pistols and nearly 10,000 rounds of ammunition were found along with the opium, which can be refined to make heroin. The army said it could have yielded 200,000 doses of heroin or similar drugs.