Once again, the Dutch naval ship Zr. Ms. Friesland successfully intercepted a large drug shipment in the Caribbean Sea.
The interception took place on June 14, but the news was only officially announced recently. The operation began when a suspicious vessel was detected on radar. Zr. Ms. Friesland quickly launched its FRISC high-speed interceptor boats into the sea and began pursuit, supported by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter.
The interceptor crews included a combined team from both the Dutch Navy ship and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Dangerous Chase Ends in Seizure
The fast-moving suspect vessel, known as a “go-fast” boat, refused to stop despite multiple warnings. During the dangerous high-speed chase, the suspects attempted to flee and threw packages of drugs overboard. Shots were fired from the helicopter to force the vessel to stop.
Eventually, the boat was brought to a halt, and 10 bales of cocaine were recovered from the sea — totaling 511 kilograms.
Part of Ongoing Anti-Drug Operations
Zr. Ms. Friesland has been stationed in the Caribbean region since the end of May as part of regular anti-drug operations. These missions are conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard.
In addition to counter-narcotics duties, the ship also stands ready to provide humanitarian assistance, especially during natural disasters such as hurricanes.
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