The Royal Navy pounced on a drug runner in the Middle East, seizing more than 1½ tonnes of illegal narcotics worth £30m.
After secretly shadowing the suspect through the Arabian Sea for more than 24 hours, frigate HMS Lancaster struck by sea and air to bring the dhow’s voyage to a halt.
Under the watchful gaze of a Royal Marines sniper circling overhead in the frigate’s Wildcat helicopter, the boarding team of 42 Commando closed on the vessel in a pincer movement.
Once aboard, the team discovered 80 packages containing illicit narcotics which were transferred to Lancaster for testing to confirm the contents before the drugs were disposed of.
The haul came to 1,000kg heroin, 660kg hashish, and 6kg of amphetamine – worth an estimated £30m on UK streets.
It’s the second bust in three months for the British warship, which is based in Bahrain and is attached to a New Zealand-led international task spread across the Indian Ocean hunting down illegal activity.
And it’s the second time the Royal Navy’s new Peregrine drones – mini helicopters which conduct reconnaissance sorties for hours on end and feed live information back to Lancaster’s operations room – have played a vital part in the success.
These successful interceptions not only disrupt criminal networks in the UK but also underscore the Royal Navy’s vital role in maintaining maritime security and upholding international law in the region.
Above all, however, Commanding Officer Commander Chris Chew attributes the success to the motivation, commitment, and dedication of the 210 men and women, which has proven fruitful once more.
“This is another example of where Lancaster has delivered at range, in isolation, utilizing her own organic assets,” Cdr Chew continued.
“Whether they come in the form of her Wildcat, our uncrewed air system Peregrine, embarked intelligence team or her Royal Marine Boarding Team, they delivered on operations in support of the Combined Maritime Forces and New Zealand-led Combined Task Force 150.”
Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard thanked the 210 sailors and Royal Marines for their success.
“I congratulate the crew of HMS Lancaster on this significant seizure, which is keeping dangerous and illegal drugs off our streets.
“This operation highlights the unique role our Royal Navy contributes, working to disrupt criminal operations around the world, keeping us secure at home and strong abroad.”
The ship’s Principal Warfare Officer Lieutenant Commander Dean Taylor said the bust was deserved reward for “hard work and enterprise” by his shipmates whose diligence and persistence in tracking the small dhow round-the-clock for a day.
“This team effort provided the best platform for our Royal Marine and Royal Navy Boarding Teams to do what they do best ¬– securing and searching a vessel resulting in a great find and huge win for HMS Lancaster,” he added.
“We’ve taken another step towards the overall aim to stop illegal narcotic smuggling.”
Marine Engineering Technician Peter Black, normally found looking after the frigate’s machinery, steered the dhow while its crew were detained.
“The boarding was a fantastic success with an estimated £30 million street value worth of drugs seized and stopped from hitting the streets,” he said.
“I feel privileged to be given the opportunity to be a part of the Royal Navy Boarding Team, it’s a change of pace driving a dhow compared to my usual day of engineering. I look forward to many more successful boardings in the future.”
The Commander of Combined Task Force 150, Commodore Rodger Ward RNZN, said interdiction operations such as this were a true team effort, requiring tight coordination, “from the men and women here in the headquarters in Bahrain reaching through to those out on the oceans disrupting drug smuggling operations at the coal face.”
He added: “I’d like to acknowledge the 210-strong ship’s company from HMS Lancaster for continuing to get amongst it day-after-day,” he said.
“Everyone in the team can be proud of their efforts to disrupt the criminal and terrorist organizations that continue to use illicit narcotics to fund their activities. This is a significant blow to their revenue stream. This successful interdiction is tantamount to the tenacity, training and professionalism from our Royal Navy partners.”
Keeping the country safe is the Government’s first priority, and an integral part of its Plan for Change. The work of the Royal Navy, is critical to the security and stability of the UK, supporting all of the Government’s five missions as a foundation of its plan.
HMS Lancaster is a Type 23 frigate deployed to the Middle East region on a long-term mission as part of wider efforts by the UK to provide regional maritime security and stability.