Royal Navy sinks drug boat
A ROYAL Navy warship blew a cocaine-runners' boat to smithereens after making the largest drugs haul in UK naval history.
Sailors on HMS Iron Duke captured 5½ tonnes of Europe-bound drugs worth £240million from hidden tanks on board.
After the drugs and smugglers had been removed, a volley of firepower was used to sink the trafficker's boat - believed to be one of the largest vessels des
More..troyed by the Navy since the Falklands conflict.
The bust was last night hailed as "a major success in the war against drugs".
HMS Iron Duke's Lynx helicopter had spotted the drug-runners "acting suspiciously" and radioed for support during routine smuggling patrols in the Caribbean.
Minutes later the 138ft-long converted fishing vessel, named MV Cristal, was surrounded and pounced on by Navy boats and an attack helicopter.
Crew members and US Coastguard officials boarded the boat and took 24 hours to find hidden tanks on the vessel containing the cocaine.
The Captain of HMS Iron Duke, Commander Andrew Stacey, last night said the "phenomenally successful operation" had prevented millions of pounds of cocaine flooding on to the streets of Britain.
A total of 212 bales of cocaine, weighing approximately 26kg each, were removed from the vessel. It was raided off the coast of South America on September 15. But the Navy would last night not confirm the nationalities or number of smugglers nabbed.
Minister for the Armed Forces Bill Rammell said yesterday: "The crew rightly deserve our praise and thanks for the work they do on our behalf."
Brave sailors on HMS Iron Duke have now made three major drug busts in their present tour of duty.
Last year they seized £40million during a raid in which Prince William - aboard the warship as part of his two month secondment to the Navy - played an active role. Less..
Added: Sep 28 2009 In: news_politics
By: positron 
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Nice fishing reef...
Posted Sep-28-2009 by "T_Bone69" (R)