Dramatic pictures show British warship HMS Trent seizing nearly £17m worth of drugs from speedboat smugglers in major Caribbean busts.
A ROYAL Navy warship has seized £16.7m worth of drugs and other drugs in two major busts in the Caribbean.
The warship launched fast sea boats to intercept the speedboat, seize the drugs and detain the crew before darkness fell.
It intercepted the smuggling speedboat immediately following a port visit to the island of Martinique.
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 £16.7m.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said the operations show the Navy’s commitment to “disrupt and dismantle” drug traffickers.
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.
Commanding Officer, Commander Tim Langford, added: “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.”
