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Royal Navy ship intercepts two speedboats carrying £40m of cocaine in major Caribbean drugs bust alongside US Coastguard
- RFA Mounts Bay worked with US Coastguard team close to the US Virgin Islands
- Seized 1.4 tonnes cocaine worth £35m and further 150kg worth £3.75m from sea
- Seven prisoners and drugs haul transferred to Mounts Bay, a landing ship dock
A Navy support ship helped to intercept nearly £40million of cocaine in a drugs bust in the Caribbean.
Falmouth-based RFA Mounts Bay worked with a US Coastguard team in the operation which stopped two speedboats close to the US Virgin Islands.
They seized 1.4 tonnes of cocaine worth £35million from the boats.
Falmouth-based RFA Mounts Bay helped to intercept nearly £40million of cocaine in a drugs bust in the Caribbean. Pictured: US coast guard officials
They seized 1.4 tonnes of cocaine worth £35million from the boats. A further 150kg of cocaine worth £3.75million was recovered after it was dumped in the sea. Left: One of the speed boats. Right: Some of the drugs intercepted
A further 150kg of cocaine worth £3.75million was recovered after it was dumped in the sea.
Seven prisoners and the drugs haul were transferred to Mounts Bay, a landing ship dock, before being handed over to the US Coastguard.
Armed Forces Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: ‘Thanks to the work of the Royal Navy and our US partners these narcotics will not reach the streets and fuel further criminality.
Seven prisoners and the drugs haul were transferred to Mounts Bay, a landing ship dock, before being handed over to the US Coastguard. Pictured: Some of the drugs intercepted
The Navy support ship worked with a US Coastguard team (pictured) in the operation which stopped two speedboats close to the US Virgin Islands
‘RFA Mounts Bay has had a varied deployment, from leading the response to Hurricane Dorian to stopping the illicit drugs trade.
‘This is a timely reminder of the diverse work undertaken by our armed forces that helps keep up safe.’
Captain Kevin Rimell, the ship’s commanding officer, said: ‘Everyone aboard Mounts Bay has a right to feel proud of the part they played in the bust.’
The operations comes a few days after Portsmouth-based HMS Defender captured 2,500kg of cannabis worth £1 million from a dhow in the Middle East.
Armed Forces Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: ‘Thanks to the work of the Royal Navy and our US partners these narcotics will not reach the streets and fuel further criminality.’ Pictured: Officials working during the operation
HMS Defender has been operating in support of Combined Task Force 150, a multi-national force carrying out security patrols in the Gulf.
Once the Royal Marines had secured the suspicious dhow, a Royal Navy team followed and searched the vessel for illicit cargo.
The boarding party discovered 2,500kg of hashish in 119 bags hidden throughout the dhow.
It came just two months after HMS Defender intercepted 131kg of crystal meth, worth £3.3million.
Ms Trevelyan added: ‘This is a timely reminder of the diverse work undertaken by our armed forces that helps keep up safe.’ Pictured: Officials working during the operation
Captain Kevin Rimell, the ship’s commanding officer, said: ‘Everyone aboard Mounts Bay has a right to feel proud of the part they played in the bust.’ Pictured: Officials working during the operation
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