Royal Navy Warship Helps Seize Drugs Worth $1m

HMS Montrose seized the drugs in the Arabian Sea with the help of a French warship (Picture: Royal Navy).

A Royal Navy warship has helped seize 170 kilograms of illegal drugs, worth an estimated street value of more than $1 million.

Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose worked alongside the French frigate FS Jean Bart to make the drugs bust in the Arabian Sea. 

The two warships intercepted a dhow boat which was carrying 95 kilograms of heroin and 75 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, according to the Royal Navy.

The dhow was spotted by a French helicopter and detained by forces from the FS Jean Bart.

Personnel from the Royal Navy and Royal Marines then conducted a search of the vessel, where they found a "large number of packages".

Commander Ollie Hucker, HMS Montrose's Commanding Officer, said he was "immensely proud" of his crew.

HMS Montrose had been undergoing at sea replenishment with a US tanker when she was alerted by the French frigate.

The two ships were operating as part of a multinational task force, responsible for counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics operations across the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean.

More than 50,000 kilos of illegal drugs have been seized by Combined Maritime Forces warships in the region so far this year.