Author: FalconsLairFalconsLair Date: Jul 15, 2008 15:21
7/15/2008: Intel News Brief: 30 Tons of narcotics seized in the Gulf:
Afghan Insurgents will suffer:
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates-Coalition warships seized 30 tons of
narcotics over five months on Gulf patrols, cutting off possible funds
for insurgents in Afghanistan, the U.S. Navy said in a statement on
Tuesday.
The Navy said the drug busts along the region's so called "Hash
Highway" in the Persian Gulf were largely due to successful operations
of the U.K. Royal Navy. Its marines and sailors intercepted 70 percent
of the toal or 23 tons of narcotics.
Drugs seized over five months included hashish, opiates, cocaine and
amphetamines, the statement said.
The U.S. Navy believes that had the illegal substances reached their
final destination they "could have helped fund the insurgency fighting
the Coalition Forces in Afghanistan."
The British warships involved in the operations were frigates HMS
Chatham, HMS Montrose and Fand destroyer HMS Edinburgh. They were
supported by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary helicopter support ship Argus
and her embarked Sea King aircraft, the statement said.
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