French frigate seizes over US$1.5 million in drugs in Arabian Sea

By Baird Maritime - March 10, 2021.

A boarding team from the French Navy frigate Jean Bart approach a suspicious dhow in the Arabian Sea, after witnessing the crew dumping cargo overboard. A search and recovery operation later uncovered over 2,960 kilograms of illegal narcotics. (Photo: French Navy)

Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) has confirmed that a French Navy ship intercepted over 2,900 kilograms of narcotics in the Arabian Sea in a recent operation.

After spotting a suspicious dhow and later investigating it using their embarked helicopter, the crew of the Cassard-class anti-air frigate Jean Bart observed multiple packages being thrown overboard.

The subsequent search and recovery operation seized 148 parcels containing 2,960 kilograms of hashish. The total market value of this bust amounts to over US$1.5 million.

Following the operation, boarding teams from Jean Bart carried out an inspection and search of the dhow to determine whether further contraband was hidden onboard. Strict Covid-19 precaution measures were in place to ensure the safety of those involved.

The crew of Jean Bart, in accordance with local and regional laws, then destroyed the drugs at sea.

Jean Bart‘s seizure of the hashish is the fourth successful counter-narcotics interdiction conducted by CMF ships in just over a month.