The Royal Navy has struck a significant blow against international drug trafficking, seizing over £26 million worth of narcotics during a major bust in the Arabian Sea—the second such operation

by HMS Lancaster in just three months.

Operating under the command of the New Zealand-led Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150), part of the broader Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), HMS Lancaster intercepted a suspicious vessel while patrolling the North Arabian Sea.

The Type 23 Duke-class frigate’s crew recovered a massive haul: 1,000 kilograms of heroin, 660 kilograms of hashish, and 6 kilograms of amphetamines.

Commander Chris Chew, HMS Lancaster’s Commanding Officer, praised the ship’s self-reliant capabilities:

“This is another example of where Lancaster has delivered at range, in isolation, utilising her own organic assets,” he said.

The operation was executed using an uncrewed aerial system to locate and track the suspect vessel. A Royal Marine boarding team, supported by two boats and a WT2 Wildcat helicopter carrying a Royal Marine sniper, then moved in to investigate. On board the vessel, the team found multiple packages of illicit substances, which were tested and later destroyed.

Cdr Chew highlighted the teamwork involved:

“Whether through her Wildcat, uncrewed air system, intelligence team or Royal Marine boarding team, HMS Lancaster has demonstrated the full spectrum of her capabilities in support of the Combined Maritime Forces and CTF 150.”

Commander Rodger Ward of the Royal New Zealand Navy, who leads CTF 150, emphasized the importance of collaboration in this successful interception:

“This operation was a textbook example of tight coordination—from our headquarters in Bahrain to the personnel out on the front lines disrupting drug smuggling,” he said.
“The 210-strong ship’s company of Lancaster should be proud. This interdiction significantly weakens the financial streams of criminal and terrorist networks reliant on narcotics.”

HMS Lancaster is currently deployed in the Middle East to ensure maritime security and regional stability. The Combined Maritime Forces, the world’s largest naval coalition with 46 member nations, operates across key waterways to uphold international law and disrupt illicit activities.

CTF 150 specifically focuses on intercepting the movement of weapons, drugs, and illegal goods across the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, and Gulf of Oman—targeting non-state actors that threaten regional security. Photo by Sheetal Goel, Wikimedia commons.