Washington (Debriefer) - The Naval Joint Forces (NJF) on Tuesday said an attempted smuggling of a large cargo of drugs was thwarted in international waters north of Arabian Sea off Yemeni coasts.
The USS Filipina (CG 58) guided missile frigate, which was deployed in the US fifth fleet in support of the NJF, intercepted a cargo of more than 275 kilograms of drugs on a sailboat off Yemeni coats on 30 January, the NJF said in a statement.
Seven suspected sacks were taken from the boat, and tests led to the seizure of 600 pounds of heroin worth US$ 2.89 million, the statement added.
This is the seventh operation since October 2020, as the NJF teams carry out naval security operations outside Arab Gulf to curb criminal and terrorist groups, so as to make sure that commercial shipping can pass without threats, according to the statement.
Last December, the US naval seized an unknown sailboat with a large cargo of drugs onboard off Yemeni coasts, in addition to other four cargos that were previously captured.