Royal Navy drugs bust nets £9m haul
By Emma Judd From The Portsmouth News
MARIJUANA with a street value of £9m has been stopped from reaching the streets after a joint action in the Caribbean between the Royal Navy and US law enforcement.
The naval support ship RFA Wave Knight was involved in the action, helping US law enforcement officials launch boats to stop drug traffickers jettisoning their illegal load.
RFA Wave Knight has been in the region supporting HMS Lancaster*, the Portsmouth-based frigate which has been patrolling the waters on the look out for drug smugglers.
It is part of the 15-nation Operation Matillo, which aims to stop drugs moving from South America to the Caribbean.
Secretary of state for defence, Philip Hammond, said: ‘The work of the Royal Navy across the globe and in particular in the Caribbean on counter-narcotics operations is vital to protecting us here at home.
‘This drugs bust follows recent successful interdiction and deterrence operations by HMS Lancaster and HMS Argyll in the Caribbean which all contribute to ensuring illegal drugs do not reach our streets.
‘I congratulate the ship’s company for their actions in this operation.’
Bales of drugs were thrown overboard by the crew of the Miss Tiffany, and, while some sank, the US law enforcement and naval officers were able to recover around 55 of them – with a street value of £6.4m.
Captain Chris Clarke, commanding officer of RFA Wave Knight, said: ‘The entire ship’s company – RFA civilians, US Law Enforcement Team and Royal Navy personnel alike – as well as HQ and prosecuting staff ashore – are delighted with the result.’
PHOTO: CAPTURED Bales of drugs from the suspect vessel Miss Tiffany
For more on this story go to:
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/defence/royal-navy-drugs-bust-nets-9m-haul-1-5483351
* HMS Lancaster has been frequently featured in iNews Cayman. It visited Grand Cayman last June and detected cannabis plantations in Anguilla and seized a stash of cocaine with an estimated street value of £100 million after sailors boarded a speedboat near Puerto Rico.
See related stories published in iNews Cayman:
“Navy seizes £100M of cocaine” – August 14 2013 at: http://www.ieyenews.com/2013/08/navy-seizes-100m-of-cocaine/
“Frigate that visited Cayman detects cannabis plantations” – July 23 2013 at: http://www.ieyenews.com/2013/07/frigate-that-visited-cayman-detects-cannabis-plantations/
“Warship crew pay respects to fallen sailors in Florida” –July 1 2013 at: www.ieyenews.com/2013/07/warship-crew-pay-respects-to-fallen-sailors-in-florida/
“HMS Lancaster Marks First Cayman Visit” – June 23 2013 at: http://www.ieyenews.com/2013/06/hms-lancaster-marks-first-cayman-visit/
“HMS Lancaster to visit the Cayman Islands” – June 20 2013 at:
http://www.ieyenews.com/2013/06/hms-lancaster-to-visit-the-cayman-islands/
Related story
Widnes sailor in £3m Caribbean drugs bust
By Barbara Jordan From Runcorn & Widnes World
A WIDNES sailor helped to capture £3 million worth of marijuana in a dramatic Caribbean drugs bust.
Dad-of-two Steve Malone, serving on the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Naval Support ship Wave Knight was on an independent maritime security patrol when a suspicious craft was spotted and intercepted.
It was operating in support of the Royal Navy and the UK’s overseas territories.
After a tense chase as the suspected drug dealers tried to escape, 55 bales of jettisoned drugs, 2,812lbs of marijuana were recovered.
Steve, a leading hand engineer, aged 62, was placed in command of the prize crew. He took the fishing vessel, Miss Tiffany, in hand and assisted in safely delivering it to Jamaica.
He said: “What an adrenalin rush! One minute I was eating dinner planning my next repair job and the next it was all hands on deck.
“The entire ship’s company are delighted with the result and it just goes to show that if you work and train hard, you will eventually get your just rewards. Mind you it was a shame that I had to give the boat back.”
Steve has two grown up children, Sarah and Mark and is married to Drinda. He has been onboard since July.
Subsequent boarding operations, preservation of evidence and detention of seven crew members were carried out as prosecution papers are being prepared.
RFA Wave Knight – a 31,500 tonne Fleet Tanker – is currently deployed to the Caribbean in support of Atlantic Patrol Tasking North and HMS Lancaster. This is part of the UK’s year round commitment to the region in support of the Overseas Territories, Disaster Relief and Counter Narcotic Operations.
Wave Knight has been involved in several counter drug bust operations this year with over 1 tonne of drug disruptions currently to her name.
PHOTO Leading hand engineer Steve Malone
For more on this story go to:
Related story:
U.S. Coast Guard off loads 6,ooo pounds of marijuana
From Jungle Trader
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Thetis off-loaded more than 6,000 pounds of marijuana at Coast Guard Sector Key West, Fla., Wednesday, stemming from two different Caribbean Sea interdictions.
In the first interdiction, the Thetis crew located a 30-foot go-fast vessel during a routine patrol of the Caribbean Sea. Using an over-the-horizon small boat, the Thetis boarding team approached and witnessed the suspected smugglers aboard the go-fast vessel jettison packages of contraband overboard. The boarding team subsequently apprehended the suspects and recovered 69 packages, which later tested positive for marijuana.
In another interdiction, a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) aboard a United Kingdom Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel, assigned to Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATFS) patrolling the Caribbean Sea, detected a Jamaican fishing vessel jettisoning packages overboard. The Jamaican Defense Force authorized the LEDET to board the flagged vessel and apprehend the suspects and recover 55 packages which later tested positive for marijuana.
The total contraband was approximately 6,250 pounds with a wholesale value of more than $5.5 million.
For more on this story go to:
http://jungletrader.blogspot.com/2013/09/caribbean-sea.html
