Drugs worth an estimated $20 million have been seized at sea from a fishing vessel in the Gulf of Aden by a Bahrain-based maritime task force.
US Navy guided missile destroyer USS Nitze conducted the operation on Tuesday in which it intercepted 2,200kg of hashish and 330kg of methamphetamine from the fishing vessel.
The ship operates in support of Combined Task Force (CTF) 153, established by the Bahrain-based Combined Maritime Forces in April to boost multinational collaboration in the Red Sea, Bab Al Mandeb and the Gulf of Aden.
“I am proud of the Nitze’s outstanding effort in support of our mission,” said CTF 153 Commodore Captain Robert Francis.
“Our multinational task force was established to enhance maritime security in the Red Sea, Bab Al Mandeb and Gulf of Aden, and this major drug seizure shows our commitment to doing just that.”
CTF 153 is one of four task forces organised under the CMF, the world’s largest international naval partnership consisting of 34 member-nations.
Over the past two years, CMF forces have seized approximately $900m worth of illicit narcotics while patrolling international waters across the Middle East.
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