Royal Navy captures £3.3m haul of crystal meth in Arabian sea

HMS Defender commander says pre-Christmas raid provided 'real boost' for crew

(Royal Navy)

The Royal Navy has uncovered more than £3.3m worth of crystal meth after raiding a small ship in the Arabian Sea.

The HMS Defender was alerted to the dhow, a small trading ship historically common on the seas between India and Arabia, by one of its on-board helicopters during a dawn patrol.

With no sign of fishing recognised and no flag aboard the vessel, royal marines and royal navy sailors were dispatched to search it – uncovering 11 mailbag-sized sacks of methamphetamine.

In total, 131kg of the Class A drug were discovered aboard, with an estimated street value in the UK of more than £3.3m.

The destroyer’s commanding officer, Commander Richard Hewitt, said the operation had been “a real boost for the ship's company” ahead of Christmas.

He added: “I am really proud that HMS Defender has been able to interdict such a significant quantity of drugs and prevent it reaching the UK streets.

"It goes to show that even over the festive season, the Royal Navy is at sea 24/7 protecting the UK's interests.

"This has been a real boost for the ship's company as they face Christmas away from their loved ones."

The Portsmouth based Defender is one of a number of Royal Navy vessels – including more than a dozen warships, submarines and Royal Fleet Auxiliary support vessels – that will remain on duty across the Christmas holiday season.

Additional reporting by PA