UK - Drugs boat blown up after seizure

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[top] Drugs boat blown up after seizure

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A navy warship has blown up a drugs boat after her crew were detained and three-quarters of a tonne of cocaine with a street value of £33m seized.
Portsmouth-based frigate HMS Iron Duke carried out the operation on patrol in the Caribbean and later destroyed the boat deemed as a "shipping risk".
The crew were detained by armed US coastguards before the boat was sunk.
HMS Iron Duke had been on her first counter-drugs patrol in her current deployment when the vessel was spotted.
One of the ship's Lynx helicopters was sent to investigate and when the crew started to throw bulky objects overboard, the frigate launched her seaboats.
Lieutenant Commander Alasdair Peppe, Iron Duke's executive officer, said: "This is a good start to HMS Iron Duke's Atlantic deployment.
"After only a week on patrol the ship has made a significant seizure of cocaine.
"I am very proud of the whole of Iron Duke's ship's company, all of whom have played a part in this success."
The frigate made a similar drugs bust last year whilst on operations in the region with Prince William, seizing drugs with an estimated UK street value of £45m.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/h...re/8162809.stm
12:42 GMT, Wednesday, 22 July 2009 13:42 UK