Royal Navy announces record cocaine bust

HMS Iron Duke seized more than five and a half tonnes of the drug in an operation off the coast of South America.

In the UK it would have a street value of £240 million, the Navy said.

Minister for the Armed Forces Mr Bill Rammell said: ''Again, the Royal Navy has successfully damaged the trade in this vile substance, which only serves to poison our communities. The crew rightly deserve our praise and thanks for the work they do on our behalf.''

The 138-foot fishing boat MV Cristal was spotted by a Navy helicopter crew in an area known for trafficking, which led to a dramatic swoop with the US coast guard and another British ship RFA Fort George.

In total 212 bales of cocaine were found, weighing about 26kg each. The crews then sank the drug smugglers' boat.

Prince William served on HMS Iron Duke last year when it seized cocaine worth £45 million in the Caribbean.

In July this year, the ship was involved in a night time operation off South America which netted more of the drug, with a street value of £33 million.

Commander Andrew Stacey said that an armed helicopter and rigid inflatable boats were sent to intercept the ship on September 15.

His crew then spent more than 24 hours painstakingly scouring the vessel for narcotics.

The drugs were hidden under the ship's regular stores, beneath a concrete floor and steel panels.

Tonnes of stock had to be moved, the hard floor broken up with sledge hammers and metal panels unbolted before the stash was revealed.

Cdr Stacey said: "This was our third successful drug bust in as many months but this surpasses anything we've had and anything the Navy had previously. It is the largest drugs bust by value, and by volume in terms of cocaine.

"It is a massive blow for the narcotics industry. My team are delighted and all our hard training and preparations have paid off."

After the bust the captured boat was in trouble and getting near a major shipping lane so the naval crew sank it with gun fire.

Several drug runners of different nationalities were arrested but Cdr Stacey could not reveal any more details.

The cocaine was stored on the Iron Duke for around 24 hours - because there was so much of it some had to be kept on deck under armed guard.

Cdr Stacey said: "We are very well prepared to defend ourselves. It was a big quantity and I was conscious of the fact that some people might want it back, but they would have a tough time getting it back from us."

HMS Iron Duke is on a six-month deployment to visit UK overseas territories during hurricane season.

It remains on stand-by to take part in anti-narcotics operations.

Royal Navy Video........... Love IT!... Smell the Cordite....

BRAVO ZULU to Kate Nesbitt MC You are a STAR

At Last a REAL NAVAL HERO. ......... Well done Kate

Able Seaman Kate Nesbitt was among more than 100 service personnel who were recognised for acts of heroism during 3 Commando Brigade's deployment earlier this year.

The rating was recognised for outstanding gallantry after she went to the assistance of a soldier from 1st Bn The Rifles who had been shot in the neck during a gun battle with the Taliban.

AB Nesbitt, 21, dressed the wound and kept the soldier from losing blood while Taliban bullets and rockets flew overhead during the battle in Marjah district in Helmand, close to the provincial capital Lashkar Gah in March.

“Had she not done so this soldier would definitely have died,” a military spokesman said.

The sailor, who was deployed ashore as part of a 700 strong Royal Navy contingent bolstering the Royal Marines, smiled proudly yesterday as she received recognition for her actions at a ceremony with other troops in Plymouth.

Her citation read that throughout a series of offensive operations her actions were “exemplary”.

“Under fire and under pressure her commitment and courage were inspirational and made the difference between life and death. She performed in the highest traditions of her service.”

Female combat medics have been accompanying front line patrols at least since the Iraq invasion in 2003. Although they carry weapons they do not generally get involved in combat unless they need to defend themselves from immediate danger.

The first woman to receive a Military Cross was Michelle Norris, of the Royal Army Medical Corps, who rescued her vehicle commander while under fire in Iraq in 2006. AB Nesbitt is only the second female recipient of the MC.

Two Royal Marines were awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, an award just below the Victoria Cross, for heroic actions in Helmand.

L/Cpl Bradley Malone “displayed a complete disregard for his own safety” after he ran across open ground to rescue his sergeant during a Taliban ambush. His “fighting prowess and gallantry” turned the tide of the battle.

Mne Steven Nethery ran while unarmed under concentrated fire to retrieve a wounded colleague and then braved open ground a second time to prevent vital equipment falling into enemy hands. “His repeated bravery undoubtedly saved lives,” his citation read.

Another Royal Marine, Sgt Noel Connolly was awarded a Military Cross after saving up to 30 lives by "rugby-tackling" a suicide bomber on a motorcycle.

Other awards included a bar added to Brig Gordon Messenger’s DSO for his outstanding leadership of 3 Cdo Bde which he had to command at the last minute after its commander was injured weeks before it deployed.

Special forces troops, who were not named, received recognition for their courageous but secret work with four Military Crosses.

In total there were 16 MCs for Afghanistan, three DSOs, three Queens Gallantry Medals and 43 Mentioned in Dispatches.

HMS Daring taking on Bangers and Birds

HMS Daring, the Royal Navy's newest and most powerful warship, made her first visit to Marchwood military port in Southampton this week for ammunition handling and loading trials. The Type 45 destroyer arrived at the port, known as the Sea Mounting Centre, for a 24-hour visit as part of ongoing trials designed to test all parts of the ship's capabilities before she is formally accepted into the Royal Navy fleet - and able to be deployed anywhere in the world - early next year. HMS Daring's Commanding Officer, Captain Paddy McAlpine, said: "The visit to Marchwood is an important part of the ship's trials programme and we will be working hard to make sure we come through it successfully." HMS Daring - the first of the Royal Navy's six Type 45 destroyers - was built and launched in Glasgow and made her first entry into her home port of Portsmouth Naval Base in January. The second, Dauntless, is undergoing sea trials and will arrive at Portsmouth Naval Base for the first time early next year. The main weapon of the Type 45 is the sophisticated and lethal Principal Anti-Air Missile System, comprising a multi-function radar (MFR), automatic command and control system, and surface-to-air missiles operating in conjunction with long-range and early warning radar. The MFR can detect all types of targets out to a distance of 400km and is capable of tracking hundreds of targets simultaneously. Her long-range radar provides a 3D search capability and can track up to 1,000 targets. The Type 45 also has a comprehensive suite of other weapons and equipment, including a 4.5-inch (114mm) main gun for shore bombardment, and is equipped with a surface ship torpedo defence system, protecting it against the most advanced torpedoes. Daring's on-board power plant can supply enough electricity to light a town of 80,000 people, and she is fitted with enough electrical cable to circle the M25 motorway three times.