Royal Navy Continues Patrols in Caribbean Waters Amid Hurricane Season
The Royal Navy has announced that one of its vessels is actively patrolling the Caribbean Sea. The vessel’s dual mission is safeguarding British Overseas Territories and curbing the movement of illegal cargo through the region.
The ongoing patrols, which coincide with the hurricane season from June to November, are intended to provide a reassuring presence for the islands under British jurisdiction. The Royal Navy emphasized that these efforts are crucial for disaster preparedness and maintaining security and stability across the Caribbean.
A Royal Navy warship has confiscated cocaine valued at over £40 million during a mission in the Caribbean Sea.
HMS Trent’s sixth seizure in 2024 signifies that it has intercepted almost seven tons of narcotics worth £551.5 million.
Commander Tim Langford referred to the August 8 confiscation as ‘yet another substantial catch’.
HMS Trent was alerted to a speedboat presumed to be transporting cocaine approximately 120 nautical miles south of the Dominican Republic.
With a US maritime patrol aircraft observing from above, the Portsmouth-based warship approached and deployed the Royal Marines alongside the US Coast Guard to engage the vessel.
The traffickers were seen discarding sealed packages into the ocean in an attempt to avoid capture by the authorities.
A total of 506kg of Class A drugs was confiscated, and three suspected traffickers have been transferred to United States authorities for legal proceedings.
Cdr Langford praised the ‘successful mission alongside our American colleagues’, stating, ‘ Each team member can take pride in this significant capture – the sixth this year.’
Armed forces minister Luke Pollard stated: ‘This recent operation underscores the Royal Navy’s crucial role in upholding maritime security and enforcing international law within the region.
‘We are delivering a clear message to drug traffickers that there are no safe havens, and we will disrupt and dismantle their operations wherever they may be globally.’
HMS Trent, which has been collaborating closely with the US Coast Guard and the Joint Interagency Task Force (South), has now seized 6,995kg of drugs throughout 2024.
The vessel continues to patrol the Caribbean waters.
The Royal Navy emphasized its mission to provide a reassuring presence to British Overseas Territories during the hurricane season—from June to November—while also aiming to curb the influx of illegal cargo throughout the region.
see more national news here,
Have a story to share? Contact us.