Once again, HNLMS Friesland managed to catch large consignments of drugs in the Caribbean Sea. This time, it involved a total of approximately 4,200 kilograms of contraband. This happened during interception operations of 3 smuggling boats, two of them on June 25 and one on July 3. This was announced today.
The U.S. Coast Guard and Caribbean Coast Guard maritime patrol aircraft discovered the so-called go-fasts. HNLMS Friesland immediately sprang into action, sending its fast interceptor boats Frisc and a helicopter of the U.S. Coast Guard after them, forcing the vessel to stop. The first boat carried a consignment of nearly 700 kilograms of marijuana, the second more than 1,000 kilograms (250 kilograms of cocaine and 820 kilograms of marijuana) and the third 2,500 kilograms of cocaine. The narcotics were turned over to the U.S. Coast Guard.
7,800 kilos
HNLMS Friesland has been operating as a guard ship in the Caribbean since late May. Since then, the ship has already intercepted nearly 7,800 kilos of contraband. During anti-drug operations, the navy works alternately with the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard. The guard ship is also on standby to provide humanitarian assistance during natural disasters such as hurricanes.
