DUBAI: A Pakistani Navy ship has seized narcotics valued at over $972 million from two unflagged sailboats in the Arabian Sea, the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) said on Tuesday.
The successful interdictions occurred within 48 hours last week and involved the capture of several tons of crystal methamphetamine and a smaller quantity of cocaine. The intercepted vessels were classified as having “no nationality,” though their origin was not disclosed.
The operation is being hailed as one of the CMF’s most significant drug busts to date. “It was one of the most successful narcotics seizures for CMF,” said Commodore Fahad Aljoiad of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, who commands the CMF taskforce responsible for the operation.
The CMF is a multinational naval partnership involving 47 countries, including the United States, and is tasked with securing over 3 million square miles of ocean. Their focus includes curbing the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and other illicit cargo through some of the world’s busiest maritime routes.
The U.S. Central Command congratulated the CMF in a post on X (formerly Twitter), acknowledging the continued collaboration in combating transnational threats at sea.
