US Navy cruiser seizes more than 500 kg of narcotics in North Arabian Sea

The US Navy’s guided-missile cruiser USS Port Royal (CG 73) interdicted a shipment of more than 1100lbs. (521kg) of suspected narcotics from a dhow in the international waters of the North Arabian Sea on December 18.

The warship is deployed to US Fifth Fleet and operates in support of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), a multinational maritime partnership that exists to counter illicit non-state actors in international waters.

As informed, twenty-three bags of narcotics were discovered and tested, resulting in a seizure of approximately 150lbs. (45kg) of suspected hash, 400lbs. (181kg) of methamphetamines and more than 600lbs. (272kg) of heroin.

This seizure, conducted in direct support of CMF’s Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, marks the fifth CMF drugs seizure since October.

To mitigate the risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19, the boarding team undertook carefully executed precautionary measures during and after the boarding, to include decontamination of all seized contraband, according to CMF.

CTF 150 conducts maritime security operations outside the Arabian Gulf to disrupt criminal and terrorist organisations, ensuring legitimate commercial shipping can transit the region, free from non-state threats. CTF 150 is currently led by the Royal Saudi Naval Force.