Royal Navy makes history as UK and US forces storm narco-sub smuggling cocaine
Royal Navy personnel have made history after seizing cocaine worth £160m from a 'narco-submarine' in the Caribbean Sea.
Specialist sailors and Royal Marines Commandos carried out the first ever Royal Navy raid on a submarine used by drugs traffickers to move their narcotics.
The naval personnel were joined by members of the US Coast Guard who clambered aboard the semi-submerged vessel 190 nautical miles south of Dominican Republic.
In total, 2,000kg of cocaine was seized by the team, which makes it eight drug busts in seven months for the Portsmouth-based patrol ship.
HMS Trent has now seized narcotics worth £749m, or 9,459kg, from smugglers since deploying to the region in December 2023, which sees Trent surpass HMS Argyll as the best smuggler-hunter in the Royal Navy this century.
Commander Tim Langford, HMS Trent's Commanding Officer, said it had been a "busy yet rewarding eight months for Trent".
"This latest seizure reinforces the utility of the Royal Navy's offshore patrol vessels in the delivery of this vital tasking," he said.
"My skilled team and our embarked USCG Law Enforcement Detachment fought challenging conditions to interdict this semi-submersible – rarely seen in the Caribbean – and were rewarded with another record haul.
"These operations are a team effort, and require involvement from every single member of my crew irrespective of their usual role – they can be extremely proud of what they have achieved."
The bust on the narco-sub took place just 72 hours after HMS Trent's last successful interception, which saw £37m of cocaine seized, roughly 90 nautical miles north of the latest bust.
A high-speed night-time pursuit by HMS Trent's sea boats saw two suspects and 12 bales of drugs seized, ready to be handed over to US authorities.
HMS Trent is in the Caribbean as a reassuring presence to British Overseas Territories during hurricane season – from June to November – and to help stem the flow of illegal cargo through the region.
The ship recently visited the British Virgin Islands, making repairs on Tortola after Tropical Storm Ernesto had passed through the region.
On board the ship are roughly 50 specialists in disaster relief operations, including Crisis Response Troop from 24 Commando Royal Engineers – who bring with them the equipment to make repairs to damaged infrastructure.
The ship also carries the Puma drone, operated by 700X Naval Air Squadron.
As well as carrying equipment to make repairs to damaged infrastructure and life-saving medical supplies, the ship has a drone system, called the Puma, which provides vital reconnaissance and surveillance and is operated by 700X Naval Air Squadron.
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