Royal Navy frigate scores £10.9 million drug haul in Arabian Sea

The Royal Navy has intercepted over 2,400 kilograms of illicit drugs as a result of back-to-back successful interdictions in the Arabian Sea.

The boarding team from the Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose, operating under the command of Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150), found the drugs – with a combined estimated wholesale value of over £10.9 million (US$15 million) – following searches of suspicious vessels whilst undertaking a counter-narcotics patrol.

In the most recent operation, which lasted over ten hours, over 2,145 kilograms of hashish, heroin, and methamphetamine were seized. This came just two days after a separate bust in which 275 kilograms of heroin was seized in the same area.

Commander Ollie Hucker, Montrose‘s commanding officer, said that the interdictions have prevented significant amounts of illicit substances being sold on the streets, whilst denying criminal groups an income source often associated with the funding of terrorism.