Elite Royal Marines pose with £30m worth of seized illegal drugs after storming smuggler's dhow
ELITE Royal Marines stormed a smuggler's dhow and seized £30 million worth of drugs, it has been revealed.
Commandos boarded the vessel under the gaze of a Royal Marine sniper who circled overhead in a Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter.
2
2
The troops found 80 bags of illegal drugs including a tonne of heroin.
The Navy said: 'The haul came to 1,000kg heroin, 660kg hashish, and 6kg of amphetamine – worth an estimated £30m on UK streets.'
The crew of the frigate HMS Lancaster had tracked the dhow with Peregrine spy drones – mini helicopters – as it crossed the Arabian Gulf towards Africa.
The warship remained hidden beyond the horizon for over 24 hours before closing in on the dhow and scrambling its boarding teams in fast attack boats and launching the Wildcat helicopter.
The Navy said it 'pounced on a drug runner in the Middle East' during the daring High Seas mission.
It said: 'After secretly shadowing the suspect through the Arabian Sea for more than 24 hours, frigate HMS Lancaster struck by sea and air to bring the dhow's voyage to a halt.
'Under the watchful gaze of a Royal Marines sniper circling overhead in the frigate's Wildcat helicopter, the boarding team of 42 Commando closed on the vessel in a pincer movement.'
Commander Chris Chew, the ship's captain, said: 'This is another example of where Lancaster has delivered at range, in isolation, utilising her own organic assets.'
Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard hailed the 200 strong crew for a 'significant seizure, which is keeping dangerous and illegal drugs off our streets'.
The warship was serving as part of a taskforce led by New Zealand's Navy to 'disrupt criminal and terrorist organizations' by seizing drugs, guns and illicit goods at sea.
Commodore Rodger Ward, the Kiwi commander, hailed the 'tenacity, training and professionalism' of the Royal Navy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
43 minutes ago
- The Independent
How many nuclear submarines does the UK have – and are they ready for war?
Britain will build up to 12 new nuclear-powered submarines, Sir Keir Starmer will announce as he unveils his much-anticipated defence review. In a bid to 'ensure the UK rises to the challenge' of growing global security threats, the prime minister will say that the 130-page review is a 'radical blueprint' signalling a 'wave of investments' into military infrastructure and weaponry. An extra £15bn will be spent on new nuclear warheads for the UK's nuclear deterrent. The plans will significantly increase the UK's conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine fleet, with the new vessels built under a joint deal with the US and Australia, known as the Aukus partnership. Here's all you need to know about the UK's fleet of nuclear-deterrent submarines, and the proposed plans for its future: How many submarines does the Royal Navy currently have? The Royal Navy currently operates nine submarines, including five Astute-class conventionally armed nuclear-powered attack vessels. The Astute class is Britain's largest and most advanced fleet of submarines. The remaining four are Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBN), which carry the UK's Trident nuclear missile system. A new group, the Dreadnought class, will be introduced in the early 2030s. These will be both nuclear-powered and ballistic missile-armed. How many submarines will the UK have in the future? Two further Astute-class submarines, HMS Agamemnon and HMS Agincourt, are set to enter service in late 2025 and late 2026 respectively. Agamemnon is currently going through trials with the Royal Navy as part of a test and commissioning programme, while Agincourt remains under construction. As part of the joint defence deal between the US, Australia and the UK - known as Aukus - the UK is set to significantly boost its fleet of submarines following the defence review. An added 12 submarines would bring the UK's fleet up to more than 20 in total. This remains far smaller than the US's fleet of 71, and China and Russia's fleets of 66 each. How powerful are the UK's submarines? The Astute class is the latest class of nuclear-powered attack submarines and is constructed by BAE Systems Submarines. Submarines of this class can fit dozens of weapons - up to 38 - and are armed with Tomahawk IV cruise missiles, which can strike targets at a range of well over 1,600km away. But the UK's nuclear deterrent is found in the four Vanguard-class boats, which use the Trident missile system. Each boat can carry up to 16 Trident missiles, which can carry up to 12 nuclear warheads each. The Dreadnought class will be both nuclear-powered and ballistic missile-armed. Where are they kept? The Royal Navy Submarine Service base is found in HMNB Clyde, in Scotland, known by Navy personnel as Faslane. It is 25 miles west of Glasgow and is found off the Firth of Clyde. The base is one of Scotland's largest employers, employing more than 6,000 military and civilian personnel. Situated in a relatively secluded area, the base sits among deep waters with quick access to submarine patrolling areas in the North Atlantic. What are they used for today? One of the key roles of the submarines is to act as the UK's nuclear deterrent. 'Our Vanguard class submarines - the UK's strategic nuclear deterrent force - are continually in operation: patrolling the world's oceans undetected, ready to strike at any time,' the Royal Navy website reads. 'Their presence alone sends the most powerful message to anyone who would do us harm,' it adds. With the Astute class of 'attack' or 'hunter-killer' submarines, the Royal Navy can attack surface vessels, other submarines, and targets hundreds of miles inland.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Bruno Fernandes sent message by former Premier League star over Al-Hilal transfer as Man Utd star remains in talks
AN ex-Premier League star has encouraged Bruno Fernandes to join him at Al-Hilal. The Manchester United captain's agent Miguel Pinho held talks over a mega-money move to the Saudi Arabian club last week. 2 Al-Hilal reckon they can get the Red Devils to sell for £100m and offer the player a three-year tax-free deal worth £200m. The amount could still increase with journalist Fabrizio Romano claiming the club will do "whatever it takes" to get their "top target". Talks with both Al-Hilal and Man Utd are set to continue this week. Fernandes is reportedly "seriously considering" leaving Old Trafford. A move to the Riyadh-based side would see him become team-mates with ex- Premier League aces Ruben Neves, Joao Cancelo, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Kalidou Koulibaly. And Portuguese compatriot Neves is keen for Fernandes to join him. Asked about conversations with him, the former Wolves captain told O Jogo: "I recommend any player who is in the national team. "We have a lot of talent. We are lucky in that aspect. A small country, but with excellent players, just yesterday four won the Champions League. That makes any child dream. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS "I would like to have any player from the national team in my team." Neves left Wolves in 2023 for £47m and he reportedly pockets £15.6m-a-year in Saudi. dinner with Cancelo. It is likely a reunion at Al-Hilal was on the menu as fans think the old Manchester City star was "playing agent". Asked if Man Utd's post-season friendly against Hong Kong last Friday was Fernandes' farewell game, Ruben Amorim replied: ' I don't know for sure, nobody knows, but I don't think so. 'He is seeing us taking some actions to change all the things and I think that is all that he wants to stay. 'He's saying 'no' to a lot of things, but it shows that he wants to win. "He's really young, he's really good. He needs to be in the best league in the world.'
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Austin Tice: Secret files show missing US journalist was imprisoned by Syria
Top secret intelligence files uncovered by the BBC confirm for the first time that missing American journalist Austin Tice was imprisoned by the regime of the now-deposed Syrian President Bashar Syrian officials have also confirmed Mr Tice's detention to the US government has previously stated that it believed Mr Tice had been held by the Syrian government, but the Assad regime continuously denied this, and nothing was known about the details of his intelligence files - along with testimony from several former regime officials - now reveal what happened to Mr Tice after his abduction. Mr Tice vanished near the Syrian capital of Damascus in August 2012, just days after his 31st birthday. He had been working as a freelance journalist. Around seven weeks later, a video posted online showed him blindfolded and with his hands bound being forced to recite an Islamic declaration of faith by a group of armed men. However, the impression given - that Mr Tice had been abducted by a jihadist group - was quickly questioned by analysts and US officials, who said the scene "may have been staged". No group or government has ever claimed responsibility for his disappearance and he has not been heard from since, fuelling widespread speculation as to his whereabouts. The BBC uncovered the material as part of an ongoing investigation that began over a year ago for a Radio 4 podcast series, while accompanying a Syrian investigator to an intelligence intelligence files are the first evidence to surface of the Syrian regime's detention of Mr Tice since search efforts began to find him following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in early December 2024. The files labelled "Austin Tice" comprise of communications from different branches of Syrian intelligence. Their authenticity has been verified by the BBC and law communication, marked "top secret" shows Mr Tice was held in a detention facility in the capital of Damascus in 2012. Additional sources confirmed this to be in Tahouneh and a former senior Syrian intelligence officer, also confirmed that Mr Tice had been held in Damascus by a paramilitary group. The fallen regime consistently denied knowing of Mr Tice's whereabouts; the BBC investigation proves this was Tice is understood to have been arrested near the Damascus suburb of Darayya, and then held by members of a paramilitary force loyal to President Assad called the National Defence Forces (NDF). A Syrian official confirmed to the BBC that Mr Tice was there until at least February of 2013. At that time, Mr Tice developed stomach issues and was treated by a doctor at least twice. Blood tests are said to have revealed he was suffering from a viral infection at the time.A man who visited the facility where Mr Tice was held and saw him told the BBC that he was treated better than the Syrian detainees, but that "he looked sad, and that the joy had gone from his face". Separately, a former member of the NDF with intimate knowledge of Austin's detention told the BBC "that Austin's value was understood" and that he was a "card" that could be played in diplomatic negotiations with the Tice is reported to have briefly escaped his captivity by squeezing through a window in his cell, but was later recaptured. He was also interrogated at least twice by a Syrian government intelligence officer. The incident is believed to have taken place between late 2012 and early Assad was ousted in December 2024, then-US President Joe Biden said he believed Mr Tice was still alive. Two days previously, Mr Tice's mother, Debra Tice, said that a "significant source" had confirmed that Mr Tice was alive and being "treated well".But when prisons were emptied after the fall of the government, there was no sign of Mr Tice and his whereabouts are still Tice family are aware of the existence of these intelligence files seen by the BBC, as are the US authorities, and also a Syrian group that is working to gather information on crimes committed by the Assad Tice is believed to be one of the longest-held American hostages. His mother, Debra and father, Marc. have led a tireless campaign to highlight their son's son is a former US marine captain who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan and was a law student at the prestigious Georgetown University in Washington DC. In 2012 he travelled to Syria to report on the civil war as a freelance journalist. Mr Tice vanished into a vast and complex system of detention. The UK-based monitoring group the Syrian Network for Human Rights estimates that 100,000 people disappeared under the Assad regime.
