Russian warship holds three pirate boats

MOGADISHU, Somalia, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- The crew of the Russian warship Pyotr Veliky has detained three pirate ships off the Somali coast, a Russian navy spokesman said Friday.

Capt. Igor Gygalo said weapons, including assault rifles and grenade launchers, drugs and a large amount of cash were discovered on board the pirate vessels, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported.

The incident occurred Thursday near Yemen's Sokotra Island when a helicopter based on the missile cruiser spotted two speedboats moving toward a fishing boat under the Iranian flag. When they spotted the helicopter, the people aboard the speedboats began throwing items overboard, the news agency said.

Gygalo said two speedboats and a parent ship were detained with 10 Somali pirates.

"The detainees were in a state of narcotic intoxication," he told RIA Novosti.

He said investigators were questioning the detainees.