Royal Navy HMS Defender crew seizes £3.3m haul of crystal meth from drug smugglers’ dhow in the Arabian Sea
- HMS Defender was sweeping the area for smugglers when the vessel was seen
- Located by the helicopter crew of the Portsmouth-based ship during dawn patrol
- Royal Marines in sea boats were then sent to secure the dhow and its crew today
Royal Navy teams have recovered more than £3.3 million worth of crystal meth from a drug smugglers dhow in the Arabian Sea.
HMS Defender was sweeping the area for drug runners and traffickers when the suspicious vessel was spotted.
It was seen when the helicopter crew of the Portsmouth-based warship was conducting a dawn patrol.
Their Wildcat located a solo dhow – a sailing vessel traditionally used for trading – not flying any flag or showing any evidence of fishing.
The large dhow, a sailing vessel traditionally used for trading, was spotted by the helicopter crew of the Portsmouth-based warship while conducting a dawn patrol
HMS Defender can be seen in the background, while a separate vessel filled with Royal Marines is launched to search the vessel
Royal Marines in sea boats were sent to secure the dhow and its crew, with sailors then searching the vessel
Royal Marines in sea boats were sent to secure the dhow and its crew, with Royal Navy sailors searching the vessel.
Following the day-long search, 11 bags of crystal meth – worth £3.3 million on the streets of the UK – were discovered.
The mailbag-sized sacks totalled 131kg of suspected crystal methamphetamines.
Commander Richard Hewitt, the destroyer’s commanding officer, said: “I am really proud that HMS Defender has been able to interdict such a significant quantity of drugs and prevent it reaching the UK streets.
The crew of the HMS Defender with a huge haul of crystal meth, which is a Class B drug in the UK
HMS Defender is one of more than a dozen British warships, submarines and Royal Fleet Auxiliary support vessels on duty over the festive period
“It goes to show that even over the festive season, the Royal Navy is at sea 24/7 protecting the UK’s interests.
“This has been a real boost for the ship’s company as they face Christmas away from their loved ones.”
HMS Defender is one of more than a dozen British warships, submarines and Royal Fleet Auxiliary support vessels on duty over the festive period.