UK Royal Marines Commandos have successfully interdicted a drug-carrying skiff during recent operations in the Gulf of Oman.
Commando snipers brought the skiff – which was underway at speeds in excess of 40 knots while its crew tried to ditch their illegal cargo – to an immediate halt with a direct hit that knocked out the boat’s engine.
The snipers took aim from a Wildcat helicopter launched from the Royal Navy frigate HMS Lancaster to intercept three suspect craft during the recently completed operation.
The Royal Navy said this is the first time snipers have been called upon to use non-lethal force to disable a suspicious boat in the Gulf region – where typically slow-moving dhows are used to hide the illicit cargoes – unlike in the Caribbean, where the tactic has proved effective on several occasions.
The operation began when Lancaster launched her Wildcat helicopter on a dawn patrol over the Gulf of Oman.
The helicopter's crew soon picked up three suspicious skiffs travelling at speed – and secretly shadowed them while relaying critical information back to Lancaster. That allowed the frigate to launch her Peregrine unmanned aerial vehicle to continue monitoring the skiffs – again undetected – providing a live video feed to the ship’s operations room.
Meanwhile, the Wildcat returned to refuel and embark a maritime sniper team to close in for the interception.
When the helicopter appeared over the skiffs, their crews immediately increased speed to more than 40 knots and began hurling their cargo into the water to reduce weight. Ultimately, it led to two of the skiffs being abandoned – but not the third, which persisted in trying to get away.
The snipers then targeted the third skiff's outboard engine, neutralising it with a single round, while crew of Lancaster's small boat recovered the discarded packages and located a partially-submerged abandoned skiff.
More than 1.5 tonnes of drugs were recovered in all – heroin, crystal methamphetamine and hashish with an estimated UK street value in excess of £35 million (US$47 million).
The Royal Navy said it is the first bust Lancaster has scored since she intercepted a £30 million (US$40 million) shipment of illegal narcotics in late May.
