The Royal Navy’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) fast fleet tanker Wave Knight and the US Coast Guard have seized 45 balls of cocaine south of the Dominican Republic, worth up to USD 99.4 million.
The US Coast Guard patrol aircraft, RFA Wave Knight and a Coast Guard helicopter began the operation on 22 January 2014, when they saw a speedboat racing through international waters of the Dominican Republic.
The speedboat was disabled by opening fire. RFA Wave Knight sent two boats with USCG boarding teams to embark on the suspect vessel. The first boat was sent to board the speedboat and the second to pick up the jettisoned bales of cocaine.
The Royal Navy and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary intercepted more than USD 381 million of cocaine this winter.
Philip Hammond, the UK’s Secretary of Defense, said that the Royal Navy once again played a key role in the international mission of drug busting in the Caribbean region.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, January 29, 2014; Image: Royal Navy