HMS Trent recently seized drugs after making two interceptions while on patrol, say the Royal Navy.
British sailors, Royal Marines and a US Coast Guard team on HMS Trent intercepted a smuggling speedboat immediately following a port visit to the island of Martinique.
UPDATE – This article has been corrected as it originally claimed the vessel involved was HMS Spey, a sister-ship to HMS Trent. This was incorrect and has now been amended.
“The warship launched her fast sea boats, piloted by Royal Marines of 47 Commando, to intercept the speedboat, seize the drugs and detain the crew before darkness fell. Less than 48 hours later, HMS Trent was back in action, working with a US Coast Guard patrol aircraft to track and intercept another speedboat. Across the two operations, HMS Trent seized 200kg of cocaine and other drugs, with an estimated street value of £16.7 million.”
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:
“These interceptions demonstrate the Royal Navy’s commitment to disrupt and dismantle the operations of drug traffickers across the world. I congratulate the ship’s company for their invaluable efforts to keep illegal drugs off our streets.”
The latest operations mean HMS Trent has now seized drugs worth £307m since she began operating in Caribbean at the end of 2023.
In February, she seized £220.56m of cocaine and other drugs, having seized £70.1m of cocaine in January.
HMS Trent remains on patrol in the Caribbean, ready to conduct further operations.
Great ships the River B2s. With all their travels around the world might there be some new sales of license builds like done with Thailand? Lots of competition around but these ships have done the kms and been everywhere! Might be too costly but wonder if they could put a lightweight hangar on the back and move or upgrade the crane to one side so it could host a Lynx type helicopter and UAV? Anyway, great as is too.
Sure I’ll cop some flack for saying this, and i know it’s a very modest commitment, but is essentially acting as a customs vessel interdicting illicit trade between South/Central America and the USA something that the RN should be doing?
No flack from me. It’s good the navy has ships dotted around the world and if this type of thing is happening near by then fine.
It can be seen like the RN are basically a boat for free for the US coast guard. Would love to know what other stuff they do while out there and how much time is spent chasing drugs.
That one boat is probably the low quality decoy while 20x as much heads the other way.
Yes. As long as that’s not all it’s doing. The point of the WI guard ship is to be a presence in the West Indies focused on the needs of the islands rather than the US, especially former UK colonial islands and Guyana. If we work with and help out the US as well, there’s no harm. The Rivers are there to garner some goodwill and show that we care. What’s in it for us is effectively friendship and communication. If that sounds wishy-washy, which to be fair it is, persistent engagement is nevertheless current military and naval doctrine as… Read more »