Royal Navy ships carry out seven drug busts in seven weeks seizing £367m of narcotics on Caribbean patrol
ROYAL Navy sailors have dealt a crippling blow to the global drugs trade after seizing more than a third of a billion pounds of narcotics on patrol in the Caribbean.
Portsmouth-based HMS Medway and support ship RFA Argus have been involved in seven drug busts in seven weeks leading to the seizure of 4.5 tonnes of cocaine, which would sell in the UK for £367m.
Argus was involved in two incidents in just a few days in which its crew intercepted one-and-a-half tonnes of cocaine worth £120m.
The massive haul was kept quite by the navy due to ‘operational reasons’ and has only been revealed today.
Captain Kevin Rimell, the ship’s commanding officer, said: ‘It’s at a time like this, when all the elements in a ship as capable as RFA Argus come together to achieve such success, that one feels proud to be her commanding officer.
‘The professionalism and resourcefulness of both the UK and US assets on board have delivered success and proven we work as one team.’
Desperate smugglers attempted to ditch their latest illegal haul of narcotics in the sea as a naval helicopter chased them down,
Describing the latest bust, a navy spokesman said: ‘In the most recent bust, which resulted in a haul of 1,085kg of cocaine, Argus launched her Wildcat helicopter to search for a suspected drug runner.
‘The aviators from 815 Naval Air Squadron quickly found the boat and gave chase, catching it and forcing it to stop before a boat carrying Royal Marines from 47 Commando and a US Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment arrived and the suspect craft was boarded and searched.
‘Packages of drugs had been thrown overboard during the chase, so a Merlin helicopter from 845 Naval Air Squadron and another boat were launched by Argus to recover the discarded bags.
‘A few days earlier, Argus’ Wildcat pounced on another speedboat whose crew threw packages of drugs overboard as they tried to outrun the helicopter.
‘The traffickers accepted they were unable to avoid capture as the Royal Marines of 47 Commando and the US Coast Guard closed in on them, boarded it and took control. It is estimated the suspects had off-loaded approximately half a tonne of cocaine.
‘The captured smugglers were handed to a nearby US Coast Guard cutter before RFA Argus continued her Caribbean patrol, leading a Royal Navy task group which also includes patrol ship HMS Medway.’
Argus has carried out five counter-narcotics operations since September while Medway has been involved in two.
The support ship is currently based in Honduras helping with the relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Eta.
Meanwhile, Medway continues her patrols in the Caribbean.