The Dutch naval ship HNLMS Friesland executed a second and third drug raid in a short time. It also helped salvage a suspicious fishing boat which the Caribbean Coast Guard in Aruba, under the direction of the Public Prosecution Service, will continue to investigate. The patrol ship has forced four so-called go-fasts to stop in the last month and a half.
The second and third contact was discovered by maritime patrol aircraft of the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard and the United States Coast Guard (USCG). The Friesland sent the FRISC both times, a fast speedboat, with a combined team of the ship's crew, the Fleet Marine Squadron and embarked US Coast Guard, to intercept the go-fast. During the pursuit, the suspected smugglers surrendered. All packages have been seized and the people on board the go-fasts were detained.
Approximately 500 kilograms of drugs were seized during the second interception. Three days later, during the third interception, approximately 350 kilograms of drugs were found and confiscated. The suspicious boat that was forced to stop was by HNLMS Friesland was towed to Aruba and handed over to the Caribbean Coast Guard in Aruba for further investigation. A large number of packages with suspected narcotics were found there.
HNLMS Friesland has been stationed in the Caribbean area since January 2022 and is active both in Counter Drugs operations on open seas and in support of the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard. A total of approximately 1075 kilograms of contraband have been seized.
