HMS Defender intercepted a suspect fishing dhow in the Gulf before the Royal Marine boarding team discovered 51 bales of drugs, each weighing 20kg.
HMS Defender was working on counter narcotics and counter terrorist operations under the Royal Navy-led Combined Task Force 150 when the dhow was spotted.
HMS Defender, working on counter narcotics and counter terrorist operations under the Royal Navy-led Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 of Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), intercepted a suspect fishing dhow off the south coast of Oman on Tuesday.
After the dhow was secured by the Royal Marine Boarding Team with the support of HMS Defender’s Lynx helicopter, the Royal Navy Boarding team began its search. Once the drugs had been discovered they were transferred to HMS Defender for analysis by the Royal Navy Police before being destroyed.
In all 51 bales of drugs were found, each weighing 20kg and making a total haul of 1,020kg of high grade hashish. The drugs seized have an estimated street value of around £5.6 million.
The latest seizure was supported by a United States P-8 Poseidon Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA).
HMS Defender is the fifth of the Type 45 or Daring-class air-defence destroyers built for the Royal Navy. She is the eighth ship to bear the name. Construction of Defender began in 2006, and she was launched in 2009. The ship completed her first sea trials in October–November 2011, and was commissioned during March 2013.
The Type 45 destroyers are primarily designed for anti-air warfare with the capability to defend against sophisticated targets such as fighter aircraft, drones as well as highly maneuverable sea skimming anti-ship missiles travelling at supersonic speeds.The Royal Navy describes the destroyers’ mission as being “to shield the Fleet from air attack”.
Presently the Daring-class destroyers are equipped with a 48-cell A50 Sylver Vertical Launching System allowing for a mix of up-to 48 Aster 15 and 30 missiles.
Bravo Zulu
That’ll pay for the new alternators.
Sum would say what a waste of money sending and billion pound ship after drugs but think about the impact these drugs have on people and community how many people would have over dose if the shipment had not been stopped
Really? How can that be the case? I’ve read numerous reports that said the Type 45 was useless and running on Windows 95 and their helicopters all exploded because aliens aren’t purple enough. Or has the Daily Snail been misinformative?
I heard they were made of cardboard and the sailors were just shop window mannequins. It’s all a scam, a conspiracy that goes right to the top etc etc
Sell it. Put the money towards any upgrades needed.
“Hah! You’re not going to sell these drugs to vulnerable citizens in the UK. We’re going to sell it on to UK citizens ourselves! Oh wait…”
I presume the picture shows the dhow getting ready to tow the type 45!!!!!
The previous comment about the current aid budget is correct – it should be reduced to 0.2% instead of the ludicrous 0.7% of GDP
Great job but I am one of those who believe sending a £1 Billion AAW Destroyer to carry out this role is a waste of an important asset and money; we are however in a bind and needs must. I hope the five new OPV’s will be forward based and used for this and similar roles. I also hope that the original rivers will be maintained for UK patrol (RN or UK Border Agency – preferred option). We will need our limited number of high end escorts for the carriers, Amphibious force and NATO obligations. My opinion on these new… Read more »
In any policing role, you need helicopters and without a hanger the OPV’s will have limited use of them, not to mention that most of the helicopters will be tied up making the carriers look pretty.
In theory the OPV’s would be great for this type of role, but in practice i am not so sure.