The Royal Navy has carried out its second drugs bust in the Mediterranean in just two weeks with HMS St Albans seizing around 320kg of cannabis.
The Type 23 frigate stopped the drug smugglers during a routine security patrol and prevented around £1 million worth of narcotics reaching European markets.
It is the second drugs bust carried out by a Royal Navy vessel in the area in the past two weeks, as HMS Richmond also recovered 1,015 kg of cannabis worth around £3 million.
While on patrol, HMS St Albans spotted a small boat acting suspiciously and so launched her Merlin helicopter, this spooked the small boat crew who then tossed several large packages into the water before speeding off into the dusk.
The frigate then sent one of her sea boats to investigate the packages which later turned out to be approximately 320kg of cannabis resin.