Royal Navy Warship Hunts Down Drug-Smuggling Ship In Caribbean And Seizes £140m Of Cocaine
HMS Dauntless has successfully busted two major drug smuggling operations in the Caribbean, seizing approximately 1.2 tonnes of cocaine worth £140m.
The Type-45 destroyer followed a go-fast drug smuggling boat by employing a Wildcat helicopter, a team of Royal Marines and also a U.S Coastguard team.
The teams worked together and searched the suspected boat before discovering and confiscating 1230 kg of cocaine.
HMS Dauntless picked up the suspicious boat on its radar and quickly launched its onboard helicopter.
HMS Dauntless also tracked an aircraft carrying 550 kg of cocaine from Venezuela for US Law Enforcement Agencies using its advanced sensors.
Although its sensors are used for tracking missiles or unknown fighter jets in the skies, it was the first time the Type 45 destroyer employed its sensors to track an aircraft smuggling drugs.
After the aircraft was intercepted in the Caribbean, the US Law Enforcement Agencies seized the drugs.
Based in Portsmouth, HMS Dauntless has been sent to the Caribbean Sea to counter drug smugglers in collaboration with the U.S Coast Guard.
The crew expressed their happiness and satisfaction in successfully smashing two major drug smuggling operations in the Caribbean.
The Commanding Officer of HMS Dauntless, Benjamin Dorrington, said that the warship is playing a critical role in checking transnational criminal organisations and safeguarding the lives of people impacted by drug smuggling.
Apart from being involved in these operations, the crew of HMS Dauntless also cleaned more than 200 kg of plastic waste from a turtle nesting site on the island of Curacao.
Per reports, this Royal Navy Warship will continue countering the narcotics trade in the Caribbean and offer assistance if needed during the hurricane season until November.
References: royalnavy, itv, forces.net
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