UK Naval Ship in Multi-Million Drugs Bust

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary Naval Support Ship RFA Wave Knight has again been in action against Caribbean narcotic traffickers resulting in another successful take-down of a suspect fishing vessel.

In a multi-agency operation involving UK and US assets, a suspected vessel, Miss Tiffany, was detected in the Central Caribbean and a decision taken to launch one of Wave Knight’s boats to investigate.

Soon after arrival, and upon hailing the vessel, the crew was seen jettisoning a number of suspect packages overboard.

Wave Knight’s previous record for boat preparation was ‘smashed’ in the urgency to launch the embarked US Law Enforcement Detachment. With multiple bales now being jettisoned and an urgent need to stop the fishing vessel, the decision was taken to immediately launch the second ships boat to help recover the weighted bales before they sank.

A total of 55 bales were eventually recovered from the sea.

Secretary of State for Defence Philip Hammond said:

“The work of the Royal Navy across the globe and in particular in the Caribbean on counter-narcotics operations is vital to protecting us here at home.

“This drugs bust follows recent successful interdiction and deterrence operations by HMS Lancaster and HMS Argyll in the Caribbean which all contribute to ensuring illegal drugs do not reach our streets. I congratulate the ship’s company for their actions in this operation.”

Subsequent onboard analysis strongly suggested these bales contained Marijuana – a haul of some 2812 lb / 1276 Kg with a street value of around £6.4M. The boarding operations, preservation of evidence and detention of seven crew members will hopefully lead to a successful prosecution in court.

Captain Chris Clarke MBE, Commanding Officer of RFA Wave Knight, said:

“The entire ships company – RFA civilians, US Law Enforcement Team and Royal Navy personnel alike – as well as HQ and prosecuting staff ashore – are delighted with the result.

“Once again the joint multi-agency approach to counter narcotic operations has resulted in another successful take-down.”

Although the crew of Wave Knight was unable to recover all the jettisoned bales before they sank, the total disruption was estimated as being in the region of 4,000lb – or a tonne and three quarters – a street value of approximately £9m.

A custody crew was subsequently embarked on the Miss Tiffany which enabled the fishing vessel to be delivered to Jamaican authorities.

RFA Wave Knight – a 31,500 tonne Fleet tanker – is currently deployed to the Caribbean in support of Atlantic Patrol Tasking North (APT(N)) with HMS Lancaster. This is part of the UK’s year round commitment to the region in support of the Overseas Territories, Disaster Relief and Counter Narcotic Operations.

This latest success was in support of ‘Operation MARTILLO’ – a 15-nation collaborative effort to deny transnational criminal organisations air and maritime access to the littoral regions of Central America and focus on putting a stop to the illegal movement of drugs from South America into the Caribbean and onwards to the UK.

Wave Knight has been involved in several counter drug bust operations this year with over 1 tonne of drug disruptions previously attributed to her name.

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Press Release, September 13, 2013; Image: Royal Navy