Royal Navy seizes more than £64 million in drugs in just two months of daring sea raids
HMS Diamond, HMS Lancaster and HMS Trent have been dominating drug smugglers with a series of lightning strikes on ships across the globe.
The Royal Navy has carried out a series of daring raids on drug-smuggling boats across the world and seized more than £64 million in narcotics in less than two months.
Crews from Britain's Senior Service mounted several successful operations in the Indian Ocean and Caribbean, removing a massive haul of more than six tonnes of hashish, cocaine, heroin and other drugs.
HMS Lancaster, HMS Trent and HMS Diamond have been involved in the raids, with crews operating alongside the Royal Marines to strike against the international illegal trade of narcotics that could have brought misery to UK streets.
In the latest action HMS Diamond, working with Canadian forces, searched vessels near the Gulf of Aden with 42 Commando marines and the Canadian-led Combined Task Force (CTF 150) in a nine-hour operation.
Captain Colin Matthews, from the Royal Canadian Navy, said HMS Diamond’s crew and CTF 150 had seized 2.3 tonnes of drugs.
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The successful raid follows a huge bust in April by HMS Lancaster, which seized nearly £33 million of illegal drugs as she struck twice against traffickers in the Middle East inside 24 hours.
Heroin, hashish and crystal meth were found by Lancaster’s sailors and Royal Marines, with nearly four tonnes of the illicit narcotics being destroyed.
HMS Lancaster's Commanding Officer Chris sharp hailed the operations, saying: "I am exceptionally proud of the entire team in Lancaster executing these two interdictions on the first two days of our deployment."
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps added: “The fantastic achievements of the crew of HMS Lancaster and Royal Marine Commandos in the Indian Ocean shows the important role our Navy plays policing the oceans. Their relentless effort and professionalism have dealt another decisive blow to criminal networks."
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Also in April, HMS Trent seized drugs with a street value of £16.7 million in two separate blows to drug runners in the Caribbean.
British sailors, Royal Marines and a US Coast Guard team on HMS Trent intercepted a smuggling speedboat immediately following a port visit to the island of Martinique.
The warship launched her fast sea boats, piloted by Royal Marines of 47 Commando, to intercept the speedboat, seize the drugs and detain the crew before darkness fell.
Less than 48 hours later, HMS Trent was back in action working with a US Coast Guard patrol aircraft to track and intercept another speedboat.
Across the two operations, HMS Trent seized 200kg of cocaine and other drugs, with an estimated street value of £16.7 million.
