CMF’s French-led Combined Task Force 150 Seizes $34 Million in Illegal Narcotics at Sea

A French navy ship working with Combined Maritime Forces seized about $34 million worth of illegal drugs from a stateless vessel while operating in the international waters of the Indian Ocean, Nov. 4.

The frigate, working under the command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, seized 722 kilograms of methamphetamines from the vessel during an interdiction operation.

“This new seizure shows once again the operational effectiveness of Combined Maritime Forces assets and nations. It illustrates that nations from all around the world are committed to regional maritime security in the Indian Ocean,” said French navy Capt. Yannick Bossu, CTF-150 commander.

This event marks the fourth time in recent months the French-led CTF 150 has interdicted illicit narcotics at sea. In those previous operations, CTF ships seized more than 3,800 kilograms of methamphetamines, heroin, and hashish from stateless vessels during interdiction operations, with a street value of more than $60 million.

CTF 150 is one of five task forces under Combined Maritime Forces, the largest multinational naval partnership in the world. CTF 150 focuses on maritime security operations outside in the Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean.

Since 2021, Combined Maritime Forces has seized more than $1 billion in illegal drugs while patrolling waters across the Middle East.

The 38-nation naval partnership upholds the international rules-based order by promoting security and stability across 3.2 million square miles of water encompassing some of the world’s most important shipping lanes.