Ship sails for home after £80m drug-busting haul

HMS Montrose is heading for her namesake port after a drugbusting stint in the Arabian Gulf which netted 16 tonnes of narcotics worth £80 million.

The frigate has patrolled the water of the Gulf, Indian Ocean and Red Sea for the past three-and-half years.

Her crew was part of a Royal Navy mission to tackle criminal and terrorist activity as well as providing protection to merchant vessels. They were involved in the seizure of massive quantities of hash, heroin and crystal meth from smugglers.

Veterans’ champion and former provost Ronnie Proctor says the Arabian exploits have kept the name of Montrose in the spotlight – and incalculable misery off the UK’S streets.

“The entire crew have been a force to be reckoned with during their time in the Gulf,” he said.

Montrose signed off with a record £15.5 million crystal meth haul last month in an operation involving commandos and the ship’s Wildcat helicopter.

Now the 4,900 tonne Type 23 ship is bound for home.

A farewell tour in 2023 will include a final visit to Angus before being decommissioned after nearly 30 years of active duty.

Montrose last visited in July 2018 – three months before setting course for the Gulf.

She has operated from the Royal Navy’s naval support base in Bahrain since April 2019.

The 186-strong crew have regularly hit the headlines with the scale of narcotics seizures.

These included: February 2020: 2.5 tonnes of hashish; October 2020: 450kg methamphetamine; March 2021: 2.8 tonnes hashish and heroin; March 2022: 6.5 tonnes of hashish; October 2022: 870kg of crystal meth.

Drug-packed dhows were intercepted by the crew, including partnership operations with other Nato forces.

In a first for the Royal Navy, HMS Montrose twice intercepted boats trying to ship high-tech weaponry in contravention of a UN Security Council resolution, seizing surface-to-air missiles and engines for cruise missiles.

The ship’s commanding officer, Commander Claire Thompson, said she is proud of the part the frigate has played in disrupting the international narcotics trade.

“Drugs busts and interceptions really allow the ship to show what she is capable of – whether you are part of the boarding teams, an engineer, a chef, it almost doesn’t matter because everyone plays their part and everyone is filled with pride,” she said.

“Thanks to media coverage these busts receive, it means family and friends are also aware of what we’ve been doing – and that’s really important.”

Warfare specialist Lewis Turnbull said: “I am proud to now be part of her last ever crew, especially being the most operational Type 23 frigate for so long.

“But we are also all looking forward to seeing her back in the UK for Christmas.”

Lieutenant Joe Stutchbury, who commands the ship’s Royal Marines detachment, said the time aboard Montrose had been a “unique experience” for his commandos, who have been at the forefront of a string of drug busts.

“HMS Lancaster has some serious boots to fill as the next frigate deployed to the region,” he said.

“HMS Montrose has made the biggest drugs busts in the history of Gulf operations – but I’m sure our colleagues will do their best to match our achievements and I hope they pull it off.”

After returning to the UK, HMS Montrose will undergo maintenance before a final spell of operational duties around the UK early in 2023 and a farewell tour including the visit to her namesake Scottish town.

BIG IMPACT: The crew of HMS Montrose gather on deck to show a huge drugs seizure they made while on patrol in the northern Arabian Sea.