HMS GRAFTON IN CARIBBEAN DRUGS DRAMA

IPSWICH'S adopted warship HMS Grafton has been involved in a dramatic
drugs bust in the Caribbean Sea in which 500lb of was seized.

The crew of the HMS Grafton carried out a covert midnight operation on
the suspected drug smugglers after they were first spotted from the
warship's Navy Lynx helicopter on Thursday, the Navy said.

The suspected smugglers were spotted throwing bales over board as the
battleship closed in and a Navy team later recovered 21 bales of the
drug from the waters.

The seizure comes two months after the HMS Newcastle recovered 550lb
of marijuana and UKP42 million worth of cocaine in two separate
operations in the Caribbean.

In the latest success, the HMS Grafton, which is based in Portsmouth,
had been patrolling the seas between St Vincent and Barbados.

The crew of the Lynx helicopter became suspicious when they spotted
the speedboat travelling at high speed in the dead of night and with
no navigational lights on.

They used the powerful down wash from the Lynx's rotor blades to
disorientate the vessel while the Grafton moved in.

The speedboat tried to outrun it but was forced to give up when an
engine blew.

Commander Richard Thomas, 35, commanding officer of the Type 23
frigate, said: "When we arrived on the scene we could see the
smugglers on the boat desperately throwing bales over the side into
the water.

"A team from my ship, augmented by US Coast Guard Law Enforcement
personnel, boarded the boat and a number of people were detained."

He added: "Grafton has been on station in the Caribbean for three
weeks now and we have been training for just this sort of operation.

"The detection and arrest went entirely to plan, a testament to
preparation and effective teamwork.'"

The Grafton has taken over the counter-drugs operations in the
Caribbean from the HMS Newcastle which has since return to port.