Royal Marines Sniper Stops £35m Drug Boat in Gulf of Oman
A Royal Marine sniper made a precision shot to halt a high-speed drug boat in the Gulf of Oman, resulting in the seizure of £35 million worth of illegal narcotics by HMS Lancaster.
The operation involved a Wildcat from 815 Naval Air Squadron intercepting three fast-moving skiffs during a dawn patrol. As the vessels attempted to evade capture at speeds over 40 knots, the Royal Marines' Maritime Sniper Team from 42 Commando took aim, striking one boat's outboard engine with a single round.
- More than 1.5 tonnes of heroin, crystal methamphetamine, and hashish were recovered.
- The seizure is one of the Royal Navy's most significant counter-narcotics operations in the Middle East in recent years.
No comment from officials.
Author summary: Royal Marines stop a £35m drug boat.