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| Navy ship in massive cocaine haul | Navy ship in massive cocaine haul |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Plymouth-based Royal Navy warship HMS Portland has seized more than three tonnes of cocaine in a drugs bust. | |
| The ship was on patrol in the North Atlantic when one of her Lynx helicopters found a suspicious looking fishing vessel. | The ship was on patrol in the North Atlantic when one of her Lynx helicopters found a suspicious looking fishing vessel. |
| As HMS Portland approached the crew were seen throwing packages over the side of the Venezuelan-registered boat. | As HMS Portland approached the crew were seen throwing packages over the side of the Venezuelan-registered boat. |
| The vessel is now being escorted to Venezuela where the local authorities will take over. | The vessel is now being escorted to Venezuela where the local authorities will take over. |
| Commanding Officer, Cdr Mike Utley said: "I'm delighted to have taken this amount of drugs out of circulation. | Commanding Officer, Cdr Mike Utley said: "I'm delighted to have taken this amount of drugs out of circulation. |
| "This is the culmination of five months of hard work and dedication. | "This is the culmination of five months of hard work and dedication. |
| Cocaine was stored in bales. Crown Copyright/MOD 2007"This drugs bust is the icing on the cake for what has been an extremely successful deployment." | Cocaine was stored in bales. Crown Copyright/MOD 2007"This drugs bust is the icing on the cake for what has been an extremely successful deployment." |
| Type 23 frigate HMS Portland, which has been working closely with US coastguards, has made a number of boardings over the past five months, although this is the first time drugs have been seized. | Type 23 frigate HMS Portland, which has been working closely with US coastguards, has made a number of boardings over the past five months, although this is the first time drugs have been seized. |
| The crew of another vessel ditched 3.3 tonnes of cocaine before she was intercepted. | The crew of another vessel ditched 3.3 tonnes of cocaine before she was intercepted. |
| HMS Portland, which returns to Plymouth at Christmas, has also been involved in the relief effort in Belize following Hurricane Dean. | HMS Portland, which returns to Plymouth at Christmas, has also been involved in the relief effort in Belize following Hurricane Dean. |