Pubdate: Thu, 02 Sep 1999 Source: Houston Chronicle (TX) Copyright: 1999 Houston Chronicle Contact: http://www.chron.com/ Forum: http://www.chron.com/content/hcitalk/index.html Page: 34A Author: Ed Asher COCAINE FOUND IN FRUIT PULP ABOARD SHIP In another creative attempt to hide drugs, smugglers concealed more than 1,500 pounds of cocaine inside frozen boxes of fruit pulp aboard a Netherlands-flagged ship that docked at the port of Houston on Monday, the U.S. Customs Service said. "The seizure is unique because of the type of concealment. Clearly, this is the first time we've seen this in Houston," U.S. Customs spokeswoman Judy Turner said. Customs agents targeted the vessel Astor for inspection because it arrived from Venezuela, known as a "drug-source country," Turner said. Fifteen containers were put through a mobile X-ray machine and one refrigerated container was manually searched. That container was loaded with more than 2,000 boxes of frozen fruit pulp. When inspectors opened boxes containing guava fruit pulp, they found plastic bags one inch thick containing cocaine, customs said. No arrests have been made, but the investigation is continuing. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart