French frigate: 3.5 tons of hashish seized in Gulf of Oman

Courbet (F 712), a second-line multimission stealth frigate of the French Marine Nationale currently operating in the Gulf of Oman in support of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, seized 3,534kg of hashish on December 13, 2019.

The drugs were found after a specially trained team boarded the dhow using one of Courbet’s rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIB) and conducted a thorough search of the vessel.

The hashish has an estimated regional wholesale value of $1.8m, according to Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).

“This seizure is significant,” said Commodore Ray Leggatt, Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the Commander of CTF-150.

“It represents cash taken out of the pockets of terrorist organisations and drugs taken off the streets.”

This is CTF-150’s first seizure under its new Australian command. Cdre Ray Leggatt assumed command of CTF-150 on December 5, 2019. In addition to the RAN, the staff also includes members from the Royal New Zealand Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy.

CTF-150’s mission is to disrupt terrorist organizations and their related illegal activities by restricting their freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain. The activities of CTF-150 are a critical part of global counter-terrorism efforts, as terrorist organisations are denied a risk-free method of conducting operations or moving personnel, weapons or income-generating narcotics and charcoal.