RM Boarding Team Hits Illegal Global Drugs Network in Middle East

The Royal Navy has hit the global illegal drugs network after frigate HMS Lancaster seized £5.4M of Class A drugs in the Middle East. In the Navy’s first bust of 2025, sailors and Royal Marines from the Portsmouth-based warship seized and subsequently destroyed heroin and methamphetamine following a concerted effort which saw drones play a key role for the first time.

RM Boarding Team take control of the dhow

It was thanks to the sharp eyes of operators on one of the new Peregrine remote-controlled mini-helicopters that suspicious activity was spotted on boats side-by-side in the northern Arabian Sea in the dead of night. That prompted the frigate to launch her Wildcat helicopter for closer inspection. When its crew arrived on the scene, they could clearly see packages being transferred from a small fast boat on to a dhow, the traditional fishing/cargo vessels commonplace in the region. The actions were the clear sign of a drug smuggling operation.

As the transfer continued, HMS Lancaster charged down on the scene at full speed. The smugglers did not surrender but attempted to get rid of their illegal haul, dumping the packages overboard, all under the gaze of the helicopter and crew on the frigate’s bridge. The crew of the warship’s sea boat fished the packages out of the water then ferried them back for testing onboard. While the drugs were being weighed and tested, sailors and Royal Marines continued to search the dhow for further drugs and picked up vital intelligence on illicit activity in the region.

Recovering packages ditched by the smugglers

Wildcat pilot Lt Cdr Rachel Rychtanek RN, on exchange with the Royal Navy from the US Coast Guard added: ‘Today’s successful drug bust underscores the vital role that the Royal Navy plays in international maritime security. This success has strengthened allied partnerships and signifies the importance of upholding international law.’

In all, some 340kg of heroin and 83kg of methamphetamine were recovered. Initial estimates suggest £5.4M drugs have been removed from the global illegal narcotics trade. These successful interceptions not only disrupt criminal networks in the UK but also underscore the Royal Navy’s vital role in maintaining maritime security and upholding international law in the region.