HMS Montrose: Royal Navy seizes drugs in Gulf of Oman

The Royal Navy has seized £15m of drugs from a vessel in the Gulf of Oman

The Royal Navy has seized more than one tonne of illicit drugs thought to be worth almost £15m in the Gulf of Oman.

During the 10-hour operation, large quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, hashish and marijuana were found.

A team from HMS Montrose, based in Devonport, Plymouth, brought the substances back to the warship where they were analysed and destroyed.

Defence secretary Ben Wallace said "our streets are safer" after the "successful bust".

A navy team including Royal Marines approached the small vessel on two small boats before securing and searching the vessel.

They seized 663kg (104st 4lb) of heroin, 87kg (13st 4lb) of methamphetamine and 291kg (45st 8lb) of hashish and marijuana.

Mr Wallace said the operation had "choked off a huge source of finance to international organised crime groups".

The team from HMS Montrose approached the suspect vessel intwo inflatable boats

The operation was carried out by HMS Montrose, operating as part of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), a multinational maritime partnership.

Commander Claire Thompson of HMS Montrose said this was "a substantial seizure of illegal narcotics and I am extremely proud of my team".

The drugs were laid out to be analysed and then destroyed

The warship has been deployed to the region since 2019 and regularly works alongside international partners.

This is the largest Royal Navy drugs bust since HMS Montrose captured 2.4 tonnes in the Arabian Seas last year.

Commodore Adrian Fryer, the CMF's deputy commander said he was "delighted with HMS Montrose's successful narcotics seizure" which "disrupts the finance revenues of organised crime and terrorist organisations".