Royal Navy scores second drugs bust in fortnight

The Royal Navy has carried out its second drugs bust in the Mediterranean in as many weeks with HMS St Albans Having left Portsmouth on a nine month deployment less that a fortnight ago the Type 23 frigate stopped the drug smugglers during a routine security patrol and prevented narcotics reaching European markets. Pictured is a speed boat that was carrying, and Subsequently dumped the cannabis parcels overboard. It is the second drugs bust carried out by a Royal Navy vessel in the area in the past two weeks, While on patrol, HMS St Albans spotted a small boat acting suspiciously and so launched her Merlin helicopter, this spooked the small boat crew who then tossed several large packages into the water before speeding off into the dusk. St Albans? Second in Command, Lieutenant Commander Jeff Gulliver, said: ?The Mediterranean is a well known smuggling route for drugs into Europe and the UK. The team have trained long and hard at home for tasks such as this. Having only just deployed from UK last Monday, it is great for them to prove themselves so soon. I?m proud of my sailors for reacting so quickly and helping to keep these drugs off the streets.? Providing an eye in the sky was a Merlin Mk 2 helicopter from 829 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall. Lieutenant Commander Lauren Hulston, who is in charge of the Merlin Flight, added: ?This was the perfect demonstration of the versatility and capability of a Merlin and its crew. With the ability to send live imagery back to the ship, the team was able to act quickly to disrupt this drug smuggling activity and recover a lot of the cannabis. We hope it?s the first of many on this nine month deployment.? St Albans is on a nine month deployment, protecting UK interests? worldwide and will return to UK shores next summer.