Royal Navy warship in biggest cocaine seizure since 2009

HMS Lancaster confiscated the drugs after a vessel concealed by a tarpaulin was spotted by a US Customs and Border Agency aircraft in the Caribbean Sea.

The Portsmouth-based frigate sped to the area and launched a Lynx helicopter and speed boat to intercept the 30ft vessel with three suspected smugglers on board.

22 bales of cocaine and suspected smugglers captured

As Lancaster approached, the men tried to dump the evidence by throwing the drugs overboard, but these were recovered by divers.

A total of 22 bales of pure cocaine were seized along with the three men on board who complied with the Royal Navy and US Coastguard. The alleged smugglers were then transferred to the Coast Guard Cutter Sapelo and then over to the authorities in Puerto Rico.

As is standard practice, the empty drugs boat was subsequently sunk by Royal Navy gunfire to prevent its use in future trafficking operations.

Defence Minister Philip Hammond MP said: “This extraordinary quantity of drugs has been stopped from reaching the streets by the swift actions of the Royal Navy, working closely with the US Coastguard. This is HMS Lancaster’s second counter narcotics patrol in the Caribbean to tackle the drugs trade and the entire ship’s company should be proud of this remarkable achievement.”

Largest Royal Navy drugs bust since 2009

HMS Lancaster is on patrol with a team from the US Coast Guard law enforcement detachment in as part of a multi-national effort to reduce drug smuggling in the Caribbean.

HMS Lancaster’s Commanding Officer, Commander Steve Moorhouse said: “This is a great result not only for Lancaster but also everyone involved in the multi-national effort to stem the flow of drugs in the region.

“My ship’s company can be incredibly proud of what they have achieved, their professionalism and teamwork continue to shine, and our close relationship with our partner nations and law enforcement agencies is proving to be hugely successful.”

This is the ship’s third success in three weeks and follows the capture of a stash of marijuana with a street value of up to £700,000. It is also the biggest Royal Navy drugs bust since 2009 when a shipment of cocaine worth £240m was seized by HMS Iron Duke, a Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson told Channel 4 News.

The entire ship’s company should be proud of this remarkable achievement Defence Minister Philip Hammond MP

The Type 23 frigate is into her second counter narcotics patrol of the Caribbean and will continue until the end of the year. These patrols are part of Operation Martillo, a 15-nation collaborative aimed at denying transnational criminal organisations air and sea access to the coastal regions of Central America; and stemming the flow of drugs from South America into the Caribbean and on to the UK.

Over the past year the US Coast Guard has seized 20,500k of cocaine and 8,500lb of marijuana during 22 interceptions.

According to an MoD statement, anti drugs operations with the USA are among a range of tasks HMS Lancaster is conducting across the Caribbean in support of British interests. Others include providing security for British Overseas Territories and the provision of disaster relief during the hurricane season.