Royal Marine snipers have been praised after a high-skill mission saw them bust a £35million drugs shipment. The elite operators disabled a drugs boat speeding across the Gulf of Oman with a bullseye shot to knock out the boat’s engine.
The snipers took aim from a Wildcat helicopter launched from HMS Lancaster as they swooped to intercept the vessel as it travelled over the waves at speeds in excess of 40 knots while its crew tried to ditch their illegal cargo. Al Carns, the Armed Forces minister, said: “Not only have our Royal Navy and Royal Marines disrupted a major criminal enterprise and kept drugs off our streets and away from our kids, but have once again demonstrated effectiveness, decisive action and the exceptionally high standard of our Armed Forces. I salute our Royal Navy and Royal Marines for their indefatigable work keeping us safe at home and strong abroad.”
The mission is one of the most dramatic counter-drugs intercepts the Royal Navy has been involved with in the Middle East, according to the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
According to the MOD, more than one and a half tonnes of drugs were recovered in all, including heroin, crystal methamphetamine and hashish, with an estimated UK street value in excess of £35million.
This is the first time snipers have been called upon to use non-lethal force to disable a suspicious boat in the Gulf region – where typically slow-moving dhows are used to hide the illicit cargoes – unlike the Caribbean, where the tactic has proved effective on several occasions.
The operation began when HMS Lancaster launched her Wildcat from 815 Naval Air Squadron on a dawn patrol over the Gulf of Oman.
Her crew soon picked up three suspicious skiffs travelling at speed – and secretly shadowed them while relaying critical information back to the warship.
That allowed Lancaster to launch her Peregrine mini-helicopter drone to continue monitoring the skiffs – again undetected – providing a live video feed to the ship’s operations room.
Meanwhile, the Wildcat returned to refuel and embark a Maritime Sniper Team from 42 Commando – the Royal Marines’ specialists in boarding operations – to close in for the interception.
When the helicopter appeared over the skiffs, their crews immediately increased speed to more than 40 knots and began hurling their cargo into the water to reduce weight.
Ultimately, it led to two of the skiffs being abandoned – but not the third which persisted in trying to get away.
At this point, the marines targeted the outboard engine, neutralising it with a single round, while crew of the warship’s sea boat recovered the discarded packages and located a partially-submerged abandoned skiff.
Commander Sam Stephens, Commanding Officer of HMS Lancaster said: “I’m hugely proud of the team’s professionalism, patience, and skill throughout what was a protracted chase,”
“This operation saw Lancaster’s crewed and uncrewed aircraft working hand-in-glove under the direction of the ship’s operations room. The outcome was a highly-successful bust, removing large quantities of narcotics from the streets and preventing their profits from fuelling extremism.”
Wildcat pilot Lieutenant Guy Warry added: “Non-lethal disabling fire has not been seen in the region and was essential in preventing the drug runners from moving their product.
“Being the Wildcat pilot carrying out a live weapons firing on drug-running skiffs whilst flying backwards to provide a stable platform for the snipers was definitely a career highlight.
“This interdiction is a true testament to the high levels of training that both the flight, MST and ship have achieved prior to the bust.”
