RFA Wave Knight sends Drug Runners to Jail
While handling one of the worlds primary trafficking routes in the Caribbean RFA Wave Knight, one of the Royal Fleet Auxiliaries refueling tankers, encountered and stopped a drug shipment. Yugool Persaud and Desmond Wilson – both from Guyana – had stored around 2 tonnes of cannabis in their fishing vessel, the Miss Tiffany.
Cruising at 18 knots, the huge ship caught up to them fairly easily, demonstrating her surprising cornering speed for a ship of her size to surprise the drug runners. As she closed, they began throwing bales overboard. Approximately 60% of their load was recovered or captured however, with 1.2 tonnes fished our or seized on board. The US Coast Guard detachment on board used one of Wave Knight's deployable "Rhibs" (inflatable fast boats) to speed out and capture the vessel.
For those wondering why the US Coast Guard did this, it's because the Caribbean is their territory. We assist them in it because what gets smuggled to America also gets smuggled here. As such, the Royal Fleet Auxiliaries support as large motherships for counter-narcotics operations are entirely beneficial to both our countries. The American Coast Guard briefly take "command" of the ship, flying a US flag while the seizure takes place. Afterwards they relinquish "command" again. It is a curious little process, allowing the ship to be used for implementing American lawful authority.
In all, the haul was worth £6.4 million. The two men caught face a maximum punishment of life behind bars in a US jail when sentenced in February after they were found guilty of two counts of violating America’s Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act.
RFA Wave Knight however, will remain vigilant on her duty of protecting the United Kingdom from illegal smuggling.
