Royal Navy frigate nets third drug bust in five weeks

The crew of the Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose has interdicted illicit narcotics in Middle East waters for the third time in less than five weeks.

Earlier this month, in an operation lasting 10 hours, Montrose‘s crew intercepted over 2,800 kilograms of hashish and 50 kilograms of heroin in the Arabian Sea.

The boarding team from the ship, operating in direct support of Combined Maritime Forces’ (CMF) Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150), seized the drugs – with a combined estimated wholesale value of over US$4.5 million – following searches of suspicious vessels whilst undertaking a counter-narcotics patrol.

Montrose has intercepted a combined haul of more than 5,800 kilograms of narcotics in three interdictions.