The Royal Navy has seized nearly £33 million worth of illegal drugs from drug traffickers in the Middle East.
In two operations in less than 24 hours, HMS Lancaster seized a total of 3.7 tonnes of illegal drugs, including heroin, methamphetamine and cannabis, from smugglers in the Indian Ocean.
Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said the crew’s actions “dealt a decisive blow to the criminal network”.
As the ship was conducting its first safety patrol after training, its Wildcat helicopter spotted a suspicious vessel.
The first operation lasted eight hours, during which Royal Marines from 42 Commando protected the ship and Lancastrian sailors boarded the ship and found nearly 100 bags of heroin. and packages of methamphetamine.
Less than 24 hours later, Royal Navy ships and helicopters worked through the night to spot and track another suspicious vessel, and HMS Lancaster’s commandos and sailors seized 2.4 tonnes of hashish, a form of cannabis.
According to the National Crime Agency, the total street value of the drugs seized during the two operations was just under £33 million.
Just a few weeks ago, HMS Trent seized £17 million worth of illegal drugs in the Caribbean.
Mr Shapps said: “The brilliant achievements of HMS Lancaster and Royal Marine Commandos in the Indian Ocean demonstrate the important role our navy plays in maintaining maritime security.
“Their tireless efforts and professionalism have dealt another decisive blow to a criminal network.”
Commander Chris Sharp said: “I am extremely proud of the entire team at Lancaster for executing these two lockdowns in the first two days of deployment.
“Conducting such a complex interception in such a challenging environment requires a real team effort from the entire ship company.
“We share this success with our partners in CTF (Combined Task Force) 150, who provided critical support to this operation.”
Additional reporting by PA.
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