Pakistan Navy Ship Yarmook Seizes Nearly $1 Billion in Narcotics in Arabian Sea Operation
MANAMA, Bahrain – In a major multinational counter-narcotics operation, the Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) Yarmook has seized illicit drugs with an estimated street value of over $972 million from two vessels in the Arabian Sea.
The successful interdiction was conducted over a 48-hour period as part of Focused Operation AL MASMAK, led by the Saudi-led Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). PNS Yarmook boarded two stateless dhows that were not transmitting on Automatic Identification System (AIS) and displayed no external markings.
The first boarding on October 18 resulted in the seizure of over two tons of crystal methamphetamine (ICE), valued at approximately $822.4 million. Less than 48 hours later, a second dhow was boarded, yielding an additional 350 kg of ICE worth $140 million and 50 kg of cocaine valued at $10 million. The narcotics were transported back to the ship for testing and subsequently disposed of.
U.S. Central Command publicly congratulated the task force on the successful seizure, underscoring the significance of the operation.
Royal Saudi Naval Forces Commodore Fahad Aljoiad, commander of CTF 150, praised the operation, stating, “The success of this focused operation highlights the importance of the multi-national collaboration. PNS Yarmook has had one of the most successful narcotics seizures for CMF, which is directly attributed to the expertise and collaboration of our naval forces within the organization.”
Operation AL MASMAK, which began on October 16, involved coordinated efforts from naval assets of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, France, Spain, and the United States. It demonstrated a strong, unified approach to enhancing regional maritime security and safety.
CTF 150’s primary mission is to deter and disrupt non-state actors from moving weapons, drugs, and other illicit substances in the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, and the Gulf of Oman. The Combined Maritime Forces is a 47-nation naval partnership committed to promoting security and stability across 3.2 million square miles of international waters, which include some of the world’s most critical shipping lanes.
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