UK Naval ship HMS Medway, which was deployed to Cayman in September following the passage of Hurricane Ian, has been involved in a £24 million drug bust near the Dominican Republic.
The operation, which happened last week, ended with the drug smugglers’ boat being torched and more than 400kg of cocaine being seized.
The crew of HMS Medway, working with the US Coast Guard, boarded the vessel and detained three crew members, Governor Martyn Roper said in a statement Tuesday.
He commended the teams for their actions on the high seas.
“It is fantastic to see the excellent work of our Royal Navy, stopping illicit drugs reaching the hands of dealers and users. We all know the devastating effect such substances can have on the lives of individuals and their families,” he said.
Bust followed ‘tense chase’
The Royal Navy ship has been in the Caribbean for the 2022 hurricane season and recently rendered assistance here and in the Turks and Caicos in recovery efforts following Hurricanes Ian and Fiona, respectively.
A Royal Navy statement on the drug bust said crew of the Medway and the US Coast Guard detachment on board the ship spotted the drug boat near the Dominican Republic with help from a patrol aircraft.
Following a “tense chase”, the vessel was boarded and the drugs discovered.
“To secure an interdiction on our first day dedicated to this type of operation in this period has been tremendous,” said Commander Chris Hollingworth, commanding officer of Medway.
He said all involved in the drug seizure had demonstrated their professionalism during a “challenging pursuit”.
“It might be the first, but we’re going to make sure that it won’t be the last, and I speak on behalf of everyone here in saying this has galvanised our determination to succeed,” Hollingworth said.
It is believed the boat had come from South America, a common route taken by smugglers at this time of year.
Roper, in his statement, said this achievement not only serves as a victory in the UK’s commitment to keep illicit drugs off of the streets, “but it also serves to test HMS Medway’s versatility, and demonstrates the crew’s ability to shift from Disaster Relief Operations to Counter Illicit Trafficking Operations”.
“It is reassuring to know that the UK has assets such as HMS Medway within the region, positioned to support Cayman and other Overseas Territories, should we need it during hurricane season,” he added.
The vessel was subsequently sunk by Medway’s gunnery team.
The destruction of the drugs smuggling boat, which is normal for this type of operation, the Royal Navy statement said, adding that it ensures the vessel is no longer used for illegal activity “while also providing valuable gunnery training”.
“Although we talk of these boats being commonplace in the Caribbean, that doesn’t in any way diminish the achievement of landing a bust like this,” a member of the boarding team, US Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment 404, was quoted as saying.
“Together with our partners on board Medway and up in the skies above us, we’re able to smash a hole in the supply chain and disrupt the movement of these harmful drugs before they have the chance to harm people at home and abroad,” the statement added.
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