RIJEKA POLICE SEIZE 30 KG OF HEROIN, BUT LOSE THE DEALERS

ZAGREB, Feb 11 (Hina) - Rijeka County police yesterday seized 30 kg of heroin with an estimated street value of 40 million kunas, but failed to capture the smugglers, who were at the scene of the haul, a police press conference in Delnice heard today. The bust was the result of a routine traffic patrol - police stopped a BMW 320, and then stumbled upon 30kgs of heroin hidden in a secret compartment in the vehicle, but lost the culprits. Searching the car, police recognised the dealers from police files - but when they tried to detain them, the suspects hared off. The officers immediately enlisted another patrol to block the road 10 km from the scene but to no avail, the smugglers suddenly sprinted off into the woods. Police were hot on their tail, the conference said. Also present at the press conference was Interior Minister Ivan Jarnjak and his deputies Marijan Benko and Mladan Markac. (hina) jn as sd 111537 MET feb 95