-from thisisplymouth.co.uk-

A Devonport based warship has seized 3 tonnes of cocaine in a drugs bust on the high seas.

The Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Portland captured the drugs after spotting a suspicious fishing vessel in the North Atlantic.

A coordinated approach was made using the ship’s sea boats, Lynx helicopter, and the Duke Class ship herself.

As the dodgy ‘fishermen’ were approached, they increased speed and began throwing packages over the side. After she was stopped, Portland’s boats recovered 500 kilos of cocaine from the sea. Further contraband was found on board.

Portland’s captain, Commander Mike Utley, said: “I’m delighted to have taken this amount of drugs out of circulation. This is the culmination of five months of hard work and dedication by my ship’s company. “This drugs bust is the icing on the cake for what has been an extremely successful deployment.”

A US coastguard law enforcement detachment which was embarked on the Devonport based frigate also boarded the suspicious vessel, which is registered in Venezuela.

After an extensive search a total of over 3,000 kilos of cocaine was found. The vessel is now being to Venezuela where the authorities will take over the investigation.