Royal Navy warship HMS Trent seized drugs with a street value of
£16.7 million in two separate blows to drug runners in the
Caribbean.
British sailors, Royal Marines and a US Coast Guard team on HMS
Trent intercepted a smuggling speedboat immediately following a
port visit to the island of Martinique. The warship launched her
fast sea boats, piloted by Royal Marines of 47 Commando, to
intercept the speedboat, seize the drugs and detain the crew
before darkness fell.
Less than 48 hours later, HMS Trent was back in action, working
with a US Coast Guard patrol aircraft to track and intercept
another speedboat. Across the two operations, HMS Trent seized
200kg of cocaine and other drugs, with an estimated street value
of £16.7 million.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:
These interceptions demonstrate the Royal Navy's commitment to
disrupt and dismantle the operations of drug traffickers across
the world.
I congratulate the ship's company for their invaluable efforts to
keep illegal drugs off our streets.
The latest operations mean HMS Trent has now seized drugs worth
£307m since she began operating in Caribbean at the end of 2023.
In February, she seized £220.56m of cocaine and other drugs,
having seized £70.1m of cocaine in January.
HMS Trent remains on patrol in the Caribbean, ready to conduct
further operations.
Commanding Officer, Commander Tim Langford,
said:
The flexibility shown by my ship's company to move straight from
high-level defence engagement activity in Martinique straight
into successful boarding operations is a testament to their
dedication and professionalism.
The level of cooperation between the Royal Navy, US Coast Guard
and other partners has been excellent, and has been key to making
these seizures possible.
These successful interceptions not only disrupt criminal networks
in the UK but also underscore the Royal Navy's vital role in
maintaining maritime security and upholding international law in
the region.
