By United States Navy, Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kitt Amaritnant
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Navy has seized narcotics valued at more than $972 million from two sailboats in the Arabian Sea, the Combined Maritime Force (CMF) announced on Tuesday, describing the operation as one of its most successful drug interdictions to date.
According to the CMF — a 47-nation naval partnership that includes the United States — Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) Yarmook intercepted two dhow-type sailing vessels within 48 hours last week during “Focused Operation Al Masmak,” launched on October 16 under the Saudi-led Combined Task Force (CTF) 150.
In a detailed statement, the CMF said that Yarmook’s crew boarded the first dhow on October 18 and confiscated more than two tonnes of crystal methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $822.4 million. Less than two days later, the same crew intercepted a second dhow, seizing 350 kilograms of crystal meth worth $140 million and 50 kilograms of cocaine valued at $10 million.
The seized narcotics were transported to Yarmook for testing to confirm their composition and were subsequently destroyed, the statement added. The intercepted boats were “identified as having no nationality,” although the CMF did not specify their port of origin.
Royal Saudi Naval Forces Commodore Fahad Aljoiad, commander of CTF-150, lauded the achievement, calling it “one of the most successful narcotics seizures for CMF.” He said the results of Operation Al Masmak “highlight the importance of multinational collaboration” in combating maritime trafficking.
The Pakistan Navy, in its own statement, said the seizure underscored its “unwavering commitment to regional maritime security, global peace, and the collective fight against illicit trafficking at sea.” The service emphasised that the success demonstrated Pakistan’s “active role as a responsible maritime partner contributing to peace and stability across the wider Indian Ocean region.”
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf commended the crew of PNS Yarmook for their professionalism and dedication, reaffirming that the Navy “remains steadfast in its mission to safeguard national maritime interests while contributing to the global commons through cooperation and coordinated maritime security efforts.”
Admiral Ashraf further noted that Yarmook’s participation in the Saudi-led task force would “enhance interoperability between the two navies and strengthen defence collaboration between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.”
The US Central Command also congratulated the CMF in a post on X, praising its efforts to disrupt the trafficking of narcotics and weapons across one of the world’s busiest maritime regions. The CMF oversees more than three million square miles of sea, encompassing critical shipping lanes in the Middle East, South Asia, and East Africa.
Commissioned in Romania in February 2020 and inducted into the Pakistan Navy fleet in December of the same year, PNS Yarmook is a multi-role corvette equipped with advanced electronic warfare, anti-ship, and anti-air systems. The vessel can conduct simultaneous maritime and unmanned aerial operations, enhancing its surveillance and response capabilities.
The ship has previously undertaken several humanitarian and security missions. In March 2024, it responded to a distress call from a burning boat carrying eight Iranian fishermen, successfully rescuing them. Later, in July 2024, Yarmook was deployed in the Indian Ocean with an embarked helicopter to ensure the safety and protection of merchant vessels navigating to and from Pakistani ports.
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