Royal Navy seizes drugs worth £15 million

• From a boat in the Arabian Sea, the Royal Navy has seized drugs worth more than £15 million.
• The crew of HMS Montrose discovered hundreds of kilograms of crystal methamphetamine from the dhow throughout the course of a six-hour operation.
• The frigate had conducted five narcotics raids so far this year.

From a boat in the Arabian Sea, the Royal Navy has seized drugs worth more than £15 million. The crew of HMS Montrose discovered hundreds of kilograms of crystal methamphetamine from the dhow throughout the course of a six-hour operation.

The frigate had conducted five narcotics raids so far this year.

The seizure, according to the commanding officer of HMS Montrose, dealt a severe blow to terrorists and criminal groups who use drugs to finance their operations.

Commander Claire Thompson stated that the key to maintaining the safety of the UK and the rest of the globe was to disrupt terrorist organizations, criminals, and their financing sources.

According to a Navy spokeswoman, HMS Montrose dispatched a helicopter to follow the movements of a suspect boat before 42 Commando’s specialized Royal Marines took control of it in turbulent waters.

Following a preliminary search that turned up some drugs, the boarding party of sailors and Marines discovered a concealed compartment on the small boat hidden behind a fictitious bulkhead.

The National Crime Agency estimated that the 870kg (1,918lb) or thereabouts of crystal methamphetamine on board had a wholesale value of £15.5m.

Since 2019, the Plymouth, Devonport-based HMS Montrose has been stationed in the Middle East. So far this year, it has intercepted two shipments of illegal weaponry and drugs totaling an estimated £47 million.

The frigate is a member of the 38-nation Combined Task Force 150, an alliance led by Saudi Arabia that conducts maritime security operations in the Red and Arabian Seas as well as portions of the Indian Ocean.

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