A Royal Marines sniper who took out a speedboat carrying millions of pounds of cocaine after a dramatic six-hour chase across the Caribbean is part of 43 Commando based at Faslane, it has emerged.
The sniper fired warning shots from the back of a Lynx helicopter calling on the traffickers to stop but when they ignored the shots, the sniper took out the speedboat's engines, bringing it to a halt.
In total, 14 bales of drugs were seized in the operation, which involved the Royal Navy, Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) and US Coast Guard in waters between Venezuela and Puerto Rico.
A specialist team of US Coast Guard officers boarded the speedboat and recovered the drugs before the boat sank.
Subsequent tests revealed the bales to be 350kg of cocaine with a wholesale value in the UK of about £14 million.
Five men onboard the speedboat were handed over to US authorities in Miami Beach.
The crew had been seen earlier ditching several bales overboard, which was estimated to be 650kg of cocaine worth around £26 million.
The story emerged on Thursday with 43 Commando confirming its involvement on Friday.
The Lynx helicopter carrying the sniper had launched from the Dorset-based RFA Wave Knight tanker, which is currently assigned to Operation Martillo, the international drugs-busting effort in the Caribbean.
Colonel Jock Fraser, commanding officer of 43 Commando, said: "I am delighted that the maritime sniper team from 43 Commando has been able to provide invaluable support to this significant counter-narcotics operation.
"The unit provides Royal Marine boarding and maritime sniper teams to both RFA and Royal Navy vessels deployed around the world 365 days of the year.
"This successful operation is another example of the contribution 43 Commando teams can make to highly challenging operations."
Based at Faslane near Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute, the primary mission of 43 Commando is to prevent unauthorised access to the Trident submarines based at the site, but marines also make up boarding and sniper teams.
Wave Knight commanding officer Captain Nigel Budd said: "This high-speed intervention shows how the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and Royal Navy are making a difference around the world to tackle threats wherever they occur."
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