Caribbean Sea — The Royal Netherlands Navy patrol vessel HNLMS Friesland has intercepted a major drug shipment totaling 4,200 kilograms in the Caribbean Sea, according to information released by Defensie Caribisch Gebied.
The operation began after a patrol aircraft of the Kustwacht Caribisch Gebied (Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard) detected the suspicious vessel and alerted the navy ship. HNLMS Friesland responded immediately, launching two of its high-speed Fast Raiding Interception Special Forces Craft (FRISCs) to pursue, intercept, and board the suspect vessel.
Following the successful interception, both the seized narcotics and the suspects on board were handed over to the United States Coast Guard for further processing.
Authorities described the action as a successful operation in the ongoing fight against drug smuggling in the Caribbean region, where maritime trafficking routes remain a persistent challenge for regional security forces.
HNLMS Friesland, a Holland-class ocean-going patrol vessel, regularly conducts counter-narcotics missions in the area in cooperation with the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard and international partners, including the U.S. Coast Guard.
