British Royal Navy strikes a major blow to Caribbean cocaine trade

The British Royal Navy Sunday said it has struck a £550 million blow to the Caribbean cocaine trade after one of its patrol ship, HMS Trent, seized cocaine with a street value of more than £40 million in the Caribbean Sea.

The Royal Navy said this is HMS Trent’s sixth interception this year, bringing the total amount of drugs seized to £551.5 million.

“This recent operation highlights the Royal Navy’s vital role in maintaining maritime security and upholding international law in the region,” said Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard.

“We are sending a clear message to drug traffickers that nowhere is safe, and we will disrupt and dismantle their operations wherever they are in the world,” he added.

The Royal Navy said that in this latest operation earlier this month HMS Trent was alerted to a speed boat that was suspected to be smuggling cocaine around 120 nautical miles south of the Dominican Republic.

With a US Maritime Patrol Aircraft flying overhead, the Portsmouth-based warship “closed in and dispatched the Royal Marines and US Coast Guard on board to intercept the vessel.

“The smugglers threw their cargo overboard during the operation, but, thanks to HMS Trent’s swift response, all contraband was seized,” The Royal Navy said.

It said the 506kg of Class A narcotics seized and three smugglers were handed over the United States authorities for prosecution.

“This successful operation with our American partners demonstrates HMS Trent’s ability to support -trafficking operations in the Caribbean Sea,” said HMS Trent’s Commanding Officer, Tim Langford. “Every member of my team can be proud of another significant haul – the sixth this year.”

The Royal Navy said “these successful interceptions disrupt Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCO) and underscore the Royal Navy’s vital role in maintaining maritime security and upholding international law both at home and abroad.

“HMS Trent has now seized 6,995kg of drugs in 2024 as part of this multinational effort, working closely with the US Coast Guard and the Joint Interagency Task Force (South),” it added.

The Royal Navy said the ship continues to patrol the Caribbean as “a reassuring presence to British Overseas Territories during hurricane season (from June to November) and to stem the flow of illegal cargo through the region”.