$11M cash stashed in house

Press, 11 January 1986, Page 9

$11M cash stashed in house

NZPA-Reuter

New York

The New York police seized SUSS.B million ($11.6 million) in cash from an unguarded home that was being used as a heroin cutting “factory” — the largest cash seizure from a single individual ever in the United States.

The money, in $lO, $2O and $5O notes, was found yesterday in 32 bags left everywhere from the basement to the attic in the home of Philip Vasta, aged 46, of Mineola, New York, officials said. Vasta was not home at

the time — he was arrested earlier when SUSI2,OOO ($24,000) was found in his car.

Also found in the Vasta home were 6 kilograms of heroin with a street value of SUS7M (SI4M) 6.5 kg of cocaine worth SUSBOO,OOO ($1,600,000), seven guns and equipment for cutting heroin.

The previous record for cash confiscated from a single individual was SUSS.S million recovered from a man in Texas last year. Vasta was among three men arrested after an inves-

tigation that lasted almost a year. AU three were charged with conspiracy to sen drugs, said a Federal Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman, Mr Robert Stutman.

The ring was involved in every aspect of drugs, from smuggling to selling on the street. The heroin came from Europe, Mr Stutman said.

In India yesterday customs said it seized a record amount of heroin and hashish worth SUSIOOM (S2OOM) near Bombay. B. V. Kumar, head of the Directorate of

Revenue Intelligence, said 604 kg of high-quality heroin and 4.6 tonnes of hashish were found at a farm 150 km north of the city.

Mr Kumar said the haul was probably the biggest ever made in India and one of the biggest in the world.

He said the heroin would fetch SUS7SM (SISOM) and the hashish SUS2SM (SSOM) on the United States “wholesale” market.

The drugs, which were hidden under haystacks, appeared to be destined for export, he said.