Navy frigate, Wildcat helicopter and Commandos join forces to bust £15.5m crystal meth stash in Arabian Sea
A Royal Navy frigate and its Wildcat helicopter joined forces with Commandos to bust a £15.5m crystal meth haul stashed on a boat in the Arabian Sea.
It is the fifth major narcotics raid this year by the frigate.
HMS Montrose targeted the small traditional dhow vessel after the Wildcat helicopter tracked the movements of the suspect boat.
A boarding party of Royal Marines searched the vessel and found 870kg of crystal methamphetamine in a secret compartment following the six-hour operation.
The haul has a wholesale value of £15.5m, according to the National Crime Agency.
A Royal Navy spokesman said: “HMS Montrose pounced, after her Wildcat helicopter located and tracked the suspect dhow until the frigate was in range to launch her boarding teams in her boats.
“Royal Marines from 42 Commando, the UK military’s specialists in these operations, seized control of the vessel in choppy conditions, before sailors moved in to search the craft for any illegal cargo, while overhead the Wildcat observed proceedings and provided cover for those scouring the dhow for her illicit cargo.
“Persistence from the boarding team led to a secret compartment being found aboard the vessel, revealing hidden illegal narcotics.”
HMS Montrose, which has been based in the Middle East since 2019, has intercepted narcotics worth nearly £47m this year.
Read more:
Royal Marines train with drone swarms in UK first
An HMS Montrose boarding team enter a suspicious dhow during a raid in 2020
‘Huge blow to dealers’
Commander Claire Thompson, the frigate’s commanding officer, said the operation had “disrupted the unlawful use of the oceans”.
She added: “A seizure of this size will deal a huge blow to the criminal or terrorist gangs using these illegal narcotics to fund their activity.
“This success proves we will persistently deny criminals the freedom to conduct their illegal activity on the high seas.
“Disrupting terrorist organisations, criminals and their funding lines is key to keeping the UK, and rest of the world, safe.
“It is a privilege to command HMS Montrose and the incredibly professional, highly-trained and dedicated personnel that I have on my team.
“I could not be prouder of each and every one of them.”
A woman who was stabbed to death in north London has been named by police – as a man was arrested on suspicion of murder.
Pamela Munro, 45, was found with a stab wound and died at the scene in Ayley Croft, Enfield, on Saturday evening, the Metropolitan Police said.
A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on Monday and is in custody, the force added.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil John said: “Investigating officers have worked relentlessly across the weekend to investigate the circumstances around Pamela’s death.
“We continue to support her family who are understandably devastated.”
Police at the scene at Ayley Croft in Enfield
Read more from Sky News:
Fresh appeal over student’s murder
100 firefighters battle flats blaze
The Met Police has asked anyone with information or who was driving through Ayley Court between 6.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday and may have dashcam footage to contact the force.
A “British man” has died after being beaten and set on fire by a mob in Ecuador, according to reports by media in the South American country.
According to reports, the man – who has not been officially identified – had been detained by police after being accused of being involved in a fatal shooting.
Ecuadorian news outlet Ecuavisa reported that the man had been taken to a police station Playas del Cuyabeno, a remote village in the Amazon rainforest.
While there, a group broke into the station and took the man away. He was then set on fire in the street, it is reported, and died from his burns.
The incident reportedly happened in the Playas del Cuyabeno area of Sucumbios province
Another local report, from EXTRA.ec, said that specialist police units had been slow to arrive due to the geographical conditions of the area – which is accessible by river.
Read more from Sky News:
IDF finds ‘failings’ over attack on aid workers
Pope blesses Easter crowds from popemobile
According to reports, police officers at the station apparently decided they could not intervene when the mob arrived out of concerns for their own safety.
It is understood the UK Foreign Office is following up reports about the incident and working with local authorities to confirm the details.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway