From the Telegraph - London UK
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ByTelegraph Reporters29 October 2022 • 12:12pm
Officers boarded the vessel and detained three crew members before sinking it CREDIT: Gareth Smith/MOD/Crown Copyright/PA
A drug smuggler's boat carrying cocaine with a street value of around £24 million was set on fire following a tense chase with a Royal Navy warship in the Caribbean.
More than 400kg of drugs were seized from the vessel, which is believed to have come from South America, and three crew members were detained before it was destroyed.
HMS Medway, the Royal Navy's Caribbean-based patrol ship, had spotted the boat near the Dominican Republic, alongside a US Coast Guard law enforcement detachment and an accompanying aircraft.
Following an overnight operation to secure the contraband - estimated by the National Crime Agency to be worth around £24 million if it had reached Britain's streets - the vessel was sunk by HMS Medway's gunnery team.
The vessel is believed to have come from South America and travelled along a common smuggling route CREDIT: Gareth Smith/MOD/Crown Copyright/PA
The ship, which is thought to have travelled along a common smuggling route, was boarded by officers after a pursuit and found to contain several large packages of drugs, the Royal Navy said.
"To secure an interdiction on our first day dedicated to this type of operation in this period has been tremendous," said Commander Chris Hollingworth, the commanding officer of Medway.
"Everyone involved demonstrated their professionalism during a challenging pursuit.
"It might be the first, but we're going to make sure that it won't be the last, and I speak on behalf of everyone here in saying this has galvanised our determination to succeed."
The National Crime Agency estimated that the drugs would be worth £24m if they had reached Britain's streets CREDIT: Gareth Smith/MOD/Crown Copyright/PA
The destruction of the vessel, which is normal for this type of operation, ensures it is no longer used for illegal activity, while also providing gunnery training.
"Together with our partners on board Medway and up in the skies above us, we're able to smash a hole in the supply chain and disrupt the movement of these harmful drugs before they have the chance to harm people at home and abroad," Cdr Hollingworth said.
"I'm exceptionally proud of the collective effort of my ship's company and our colleagues from the US Coast Guard for their proactive attitude and total commitment to the task."
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Pictured: Drug smuggler's boat carrying £24m of cocaine destroyed by Royal Navy
HMS Medway sunk the vessel near the Dominican Republic after more than 400kg of drugs were seizedByTelegraph Reporters29 October 2022 • 12:12pm
Officers boarded the vessel and detained three crew members before sinking it CREDIT: Gareth Smith/MOD/Crown Copyright/PA
A drug smuggler's boat carrying cocaine with a street value of around £24 million was set on fire following a tense chase with a Royal Navy warship in the Caribbean.
More than 400kg of drugs were seized from the vessel, which is believed to have come from South America, and three crew members were detained before it was destroyed.
HMS Medway, the Royal Navy's Caribbean-based patrol ship, had spotted the boat near the Dominican Republic, alongside a US Coast Guard law enforcement detachment and an accompanying aircraft.
Following an overnight operation to secure the contraband - estimated by the National Crime Agency to be worth around £24 million if it had reached Britain's streets - the vessel was sunk by HMS Medway's gunnery team.
The vessel is believed to have come from South America and travelled along a common smuggling route CREDIT: Gareth Smith/MOD/Crown Copyright/PA
The ship, which is thought to have travelled along a common smuggling route, was boarded by officers after a pursuit and found to contain several large packages of drugs, the Royal Navy said.
"To secure an interdiction on our first day dedicated to this type of operation in this period has been tremendous," said Commander Chris Hollingworth, the commanding officer of Medway.
"Everyone involved demonstrated their professionalism during a challenging pursuit.
"It might be the first, but we're going to make sure that it won't be the last, and I speak on behalf of everyone here in saying this has galvanised our determination to succeed."
The National Crime Agency estimated that the drugs would be worth £24m if they had reached Britain's streets CREDIT: Gareth Smith/MOD/Crown Copyright/PA
The destruction of the vessel, which is normal for this type of operation, ensures it is no longer used for illegal activity, while also providing gunnery training.
"Together with our partners on board Medway and up in the skies above us, we're able to smash a hole in the supply chain and disrupt the movement of these harmful drugs before they have the chance to harm people at home and abroad," Cdr Hollingworth said.
"I'm exceptionally proud of the collective effort of my ship's company and our colleagues from the US Coast Guard for their proactive attitude and total commitment to the task."
