'HMS Montrose', a Royal Navy frigate, seized over a tonne of drugs in the Gulf of Oman worth almost $20 million. Photo: MoD
'HMS Montrose', a Royal Navy frigate, seized over a tonne of drugs in the Gulf of Oman worth almost $20 million. Photo: MoD
'HMS Montrose', a Royal Navy frigate, seized over a tonne of drugs in the Gulf of Oman worth almost $20 million. Photo: MoD
'HMS Montrose', a Royal Navy frigate, seized over a tonne of drugs in the Gulf of Oman worth almost $20 million. Photo: MoD

Gulf

Oman

Royal Navy intercepts $20 million drugs haul off Oman coast

Drugs bust follows record breaking year for anti-narcotics operations by 'HMS Montrose'

Nick Webster
Nick Webster

January 23, 2022

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Britain's Royal Navy has seized a tonne of drugs worth an estimated $20 million (Dh73m) from a small vessel in the Gulf of Oman.

In a 10-hour operation, a specialist team from HMS Montrose intercepted a ship loaded with 663kg of heroin, 87kg of methamphetamine and 291kg of hashish and marijuana.

The crew included the Royal Marines, which launched the operation from two rigid-hulled inflatable boats in international waters near Oman.

This disrupts the finance revenues of organised crime and terrorist organisations
Commodore Adrian Fryer,
UK Maritime Component Commander

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the drugs were probably destined for the UK and were probably associated with the funding of terrorism.

“The Royal Navy continues to step forward with our partners in the Combined Maritime Forces to stamp out the smuggling of illegal substances,” he said.

“As a result of this successful bust, our streets our safer and have choked off a huge source of finance to international organised crime groups.”

HMS Montrose has been in the region since early 2019. It is supporting maritime security operations and multinational task forces in the Middle East, and protecting UK interests and its allies.

HMS Montrose, a Royal Navy ship operating as part of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), has seized over 1 tonne of illicit drugs in the Gulf of Oman worth almost £15 million. Photo: MoD
HMS Montrose, a Royal Navy ship operating as part of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), has seized over 1 tonne of illicit drugs in the Gulf of Oman worth almost £15 million. Photo: MoD

The warship regularly works alongside international partners which make up the 34-nation coalition Combined Maritime Forces, a multinational maritime partnership to counter illicit non-state actors.

At the time of the latest drugs seizure, operations were led by the Royal New Zealand Navy. The leadership role has now passed to the Pakistan Navy.

The $20m haul is the largest seizure made at sea by HMS Montrose, a frigate seconded to the CMF Task Force in the Middle East, since three tonnes of illegal drugs were intercepted in the northern Arabian Sea in February.

“Working with coalition partners from CMF, and particularly our Royal New Zealand Navy partners at the helm of Combined Task Force 150, I am delighted with HMS Montrose’s successful narcotics seizure,” said Commodore Adrian Fryer, UK Maritime Component Commander and CMF’s Deputy Commander.

“The Royal Navy’s role in the region includes finding and disposing of illicit drugs on the high seas.

“This disrupts the finance revenues of organised crime and terrorist organisations.

“The crew of HMS Montrose and the CMF staff should be proud of the work they are doing; it makes a real difference.”

Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances

All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.

Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.

Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.

Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.

Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.

Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.

Updated: January 23, 2022, 1:56 PM
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