Cocaine worth more than $52 million seized from smugglers in Caribbean, near Dominican Republic

A British warship has seized more than £40 million ($52.87 million) worth of cocaine from drug traffickers in the Caribbean, the Royal Navy said.

The British warship HMS Trent seized 506 kilograms (1,100 pounds) of the Class A drug after intercepting a speedboat suspected of smuggling cocaine earlier this month about 120 nautical miles (138 miles or 222 km) south of the Dominican Republic.

The operation saw Royal Marines and the US Coast Guard board the smuggler’s vessel, with support from a US air patrol aircraft.

According to the British Navy, all the contraband has been recovered, despite attempts by the smugglers to throw the cargo overboard.

Three suspects were arrested and handed over to US authorities for prosecution, along with the seized drugs.

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Commander Tim Langford, Commanding Officer of HMS Trent, said: “This successful operation with our US partners highlights HMS Trent’s ability to support anti-human trafficking operations in the Caribbean.”

He added: “Everyone in my team should be proud of another important attack: the sixth this year.”

The Royal Navy said in a statement that the latest operation is important for maintaining maritime security and upholding international law, both domestically and internationally.

HMS Trent seized a total of 6,995 kilograms of drugs in 2024, working with the US Coast Guard and the Joint Interagency Task Force (South), the Navy said.

The warship remains in the Caribbean during the hurricane season (June to November) to help stem the flow of illicit cargo into the region.

“We are sending a clear message to drug traffickers: nowhere is safe and we will disrupt and dismantle their activities wherever they operate in the world,” Defence Secretary Luke Pollard told Sky News.

(With input from agencies)