British and American forces recently intercepted a drug-smuggling narco-sub carrying millions of dollars worth of Cocaine in the Caribbean Sea.
Military photos show the bust, which was the first time the Royal Navy had ever intercepted a narco-sub.
The Royal Navy shared photos and details of the incident on Thursday, explaining that the HMS Trent patrol ship seized £160 million, or $209 million, worth of cocaine in this operation.
The interception of the blue narco-sub was conducted alongside US Coast Guard personnel. The boarding team, which included American Coast Guard personnel, specialist sailors, and Royal Marine commandos, “clambered aboard the semi-submersed vessel in waters 190 nautical miles south of the Dominican Republic,” the Royal Navy said.
Photos captured the elements of the boarding team traveling out to the vessel and climbing on top of it. The narco-sub is notably painted a shade of blue that makes it difficult to spot in the ocean.
It’s the eighth drug bust completed by the Trent within seven months, making it “the best hunter of smugglers in the Royal Navy this century,” the British sea service said.
This particular bust took place on August 26, just 72 hours after a previous interdiction. Per the Royal Navy, the Trent and its crew have now seized over 20,000 pounds in illegal narcotics worth almost $1 billion. This bust alone was over 4,000 pounds.
“It has been a busy yet rewarding eight months for Trent whilst deployed to the Caribbean, and this latest seizure reinforces the utility of Royal Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessels in the delivery of this vital tasking,” said Commander Tim Langford, HMS Trent’s commanding officer.
He added that his team, along with their 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.”
After the Royal Navy and US Coast Guard retrieved the drugs, they brought them aboard for inspection.
Narco-subs, like the one intercepted by allied forces, are notoriously difficult to detect thanks to their low profiles and sleek, unassuming appearances.
These vessels typically used to smuggle drugs or other illegal substances across bodies of water. Due to their low visibility and versatility, the US Marine Corps has taken a particular interest in finding ways to use these boats for other purposes.
Earlier this month, Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Simon Doran said an autonomous, low-profile vessel prototype that the Marines are using to move weapons and supplies was basically “just a narco-boat.”
“Truth be told, this is just a narco-boat. We stole the idea from friends down south,” Doran said.
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