In a landmark operation, the Royal Navy successfully intercepted a "narco-sub" for the first time, seizing £160 million worth of cocaine. The Portsmouth-based warship

HMS Trent carried out the operation in collaboration with the US Coast Guard (USCG) and a US maritime patrol aircraft while the semi-submersible vessel was 190 nautical miles south of the Dominican Republic.

The interdiction resulted in the seizure of 2,000kg of cocaine. This latest haul brings HMS Trent’s total to nearly £750 million in narcotics seized over eight operations during the past seven months.

Commander Tim Langford, the ship's commanding officer, praised the efforts of his crew, stating, “It has been a busy yet rewarding eight months for Trent while deployed to the Caribbean. This latest seizure reinforces the value of the Royal Navy’s offshore patrol vessels in completing these critical missions."

He added, "My skilled team, alongside our USCG law enforcement detachment, overcame challenging conditions to stop this semi-submersible – a rare sight in the Caribbean – and were rewarded with another significant seizure. Every member of the crew played a role in this success, and they should all be extremely proud of what they’ve achieved.”

A Royal Navy spokesperson further detailed the August 26th bust, which came just 72 hours after HMS Trent's previous operation, where 462kg of cocaine valued at £37 million was seized. In that operation, a high-speed nighttime pursuit led to the capture of two suspects and 12 bales of drugs, all of which were handed over to US authorities.

With a total of 9,459kg of drugs confiscated—valued at nearly £750 million—HMS Trent has now outperformed HMS Argyll as the most successful Royal Navy vessel in combating drug smuggling this century. HMS Argyll had previously held the record, with a total of £620 million in narcotics seized, including during Caribbean patrols in 2014.

“These successful operations disrupt transnational criminal organizations and underscore the Royal Navy’s critical role in maintaining maritime security and upholding international law, both at home and abroad,” said the Royal Navy spokesperson. The need for such operations is growing, with drug flows to Europe and the UK—where an estimated 117 tonnes of cocaine are consumed annually—on the rise.

HMS Trent, which also has 50 specialists onboard for disaster relief operations, will now continue patrolling the Caribbean, providing support to British Overseas Territories during hurricane season. Photo by An employee of the DEA, Wikimedia commons.