The Royal Navy has led a successful six-month mission in the Indian Ocean, resulting in a record-breaking seizure of illegal narcotics, according to a recent announcement.
Twenty-two tonnes of contraband, including hashish, heroin, methamphetamine, and captagon tablets, have been seized by the international Combined Task Force 150, a conglomerate of warships from multiple nations.
The drugs have been confiscated from 14 successful interdiction operations, effectively depriving criminal or terrorist organisations of at least £161 million in revenue.
“A Royal Navy-led task force has delivered a record-breaking haul of drugs in its six months tackling crime in the Indian Ocean. Twenty-two tonnes of illegal narcotics have been seized by warships of the international Combined Task Force 150, the result of 14 successful ‘busts’ which have deprived criminal or terrorist gangs of at least £161m.”
This extraordinary achievement was facilitated by the concerted efforts of ships from the US and French Navies, US Coast Guard, and the Royal Navy’s HMS Lancaster. These forces are part of a broader international initiative involving vessels from Pakistan, India, and Italy.
These teams have been patrolling a colossal area exceeding three million square miles of the Indian Ocean, ranging from the Gulf of Oman to Madagascar and the Mozambique Channel in the south.
The complex operation was orchestrated from Bahrain by a staff predominantly from the Royal Navy, with crucial support provided by colleagues from the Italian and Royal New Zealand Navies, and the Royal Air Force.
“Their actions have been directed from Bahrain by the task force staff, mostly Royal Navy, but supported by colleagues from the Italian and Royal New Zealand Navies, and the Royal Air Force.”
I can’t decide if this is a good use of U.K. defence money, drug busts in some far off lands.
Hashish which is legal in some countries (USA, Canada etc) could paint the RN in a bad light.
I would take the values posted divide it by at least 50 and we may get the loss to the smuggler.
I wonder how happy the great British public would be if Saudi Arabia, Oman and Pakistan navies were searching and seizing items in the English channel and North Sea.
Well done to the crews for doing this all safely.
Well I know one job they could do and very few people would get upset😉
I can think of one also Jacko. Get involved in the fight against illegal immigration into the UK. It is outrageous to think that my wife of Irish descent would have to jump through hoops and pay a large sum of money for us as a couple to return to the UK when others can simply pour in unchallenged! The British governments dithering is inexplicable and it has nothing to do with race but all to do with the preservation and protection of the very existence of GB and Ni as a safe and successful nation
Even the countries where it’s legal likely don’t support its illegal smuggling at the benefit of terrorist and criminal organisations rather than legitimate governments. One of the main arguments for the legalisation of weed is that is better regulates it and allows legitimate organisations (which are also tax paying) to benefit from its sale.
…to benefit from its sale AND largely cut out the street peddlers charging extortionate prices further impoverishing users!
Not an area of expertise but from what I gather, yeah the prices are higher. This is the companies trying to boost their profit margins, it’s inevitable. Whatever you think about the people getting the profits who run the business, there’s still a lot more money moving around that goes into creating jobs or tax.
Thank you Max
GM MS. On the same page as you. Using one of the RN’s small active escort fleet in this seems poor use of scarce resources-rather utilize one of the OPV’s if such missions are deemed in everyone’s interests. Also I am very ambivalent about legalizing stuff like dagga without at least a high profile info campaign as to how harmful it is. The lable ‘recreational drug’ is very misleading because it also comes with paranoia attacks, huge damage to lungs and heart and major demotivation to do many positive things.
As to the thought of big foreign fleets strutting through the English Channel or Irish sea, well we of the former British Empire considered the Royal Navy had(and to an extent still has) a God given right to patrol the Seven Seas unhindered, so perish the thought of other heathens imitating Britannia
Cheers fromDurban😆
If the frigate is in the gulf and has nothing else to do then fair enough.
Recreational is a bit misleading term.
Im kind of in favour of the legalise weed thing with health warnings etc.
Pros: control of what it is, tax intake, cuts out illegal trade, lots of people do it or would do it instead of alcohol.
In the name of allah the RN will sail those seas🙈
Morning MS. Shalom😉 Agree about Frigate.
I know Marijuana has some health benefits in other substances. I know someone however who smoked it as a student and..er, he tells me he considers it worse than alcohol in some respects😎 but hey, one mans meat etc. and alcohol is a seriously bad drug especially when taken to excess!!
Hope you are well
Cheers
ps Durban Poison as the local hemp is known is supposedly among the best worldwide!!
Working in international waters and with the agreement and support of partners has nothing to do with last century imperialism rather towards the benefit of all people damaged by chemical misuse and crime/terrorism.
Whilst it would be more convenient if the adjacent nations took some responsibility for the wellbeing of their own people there’s no evidence that their values motivate them to do so.
I presume that they are willing to tolerate that being done for them but not to invest in it directly.
I agree that the concept of recreational drug use is deeply mistaken. The product compliance requirements to be fit for human consumption (food) or to meet the standards of efficiency and ethics (pharmaceuticals) are of no concern to ‘drug’ makers or dealers. Thus all bets are off, wether ingested, inhaled or injected.
Only a deeply mistaken person would squander their freedom on such self-harm.
I hope the crims burn in hell, assisted by HM RN or not.
Thanks for your reply and on the same page. My remarks regarding the Divine rights of the RN were in jest although some of us older lads still think it would be best if Britannia continued to rule the waves😆
Shit, for a moment I thought the RN had raided Wellington Barracks……..
Hahaha. This was just the from searches before the sailors got back on the ship.
The French are now leading the CTF.
Saw the truck loading up before carting the UK teams IMO boxes off to the airport last week as the headquarters team headed home.
As with all the CTFs out this way everyone drops in and out of the various CTFs control depending on tasking and location. So whilst the UK led the headquarters it does not mean that Lancaster, Cardigan or the MCM units where part of it all of the time.
All you ever wanted to know about the CTFs but was afraid to ask HERE
What they get to bring the drugs home in boxes. Wow
Good luck to the french for CTF