KARACHI: Pakistan Navy ship Yarmook seized narcotics worth more than $972 million from sailboats in the Arabian Sea, according to a statement issued on Wednesday from the naval network overseeing the operation, Dawn.com reported.

According to the Com­bined Maritime Force (CMF) — a naval partnership that includes the US Navy — the Pakistani naval vessel intercepted two different ‘dhow’ sailing boats within 48 hours last week.

The vessel was working in “direct support of Saudi-led Combined Task Force (CTF) 150” of the CMF during Operation Al Masmak, which began on Oct 16.

“The crew boarded the first dhow and seized over two tons of crystal methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $822,400,000 [on] October 18. Less than 48 hours later, the crew boarded a second dhow and seized 350 kilogrammes of [crystal meth] worth $140,000,000 and 50kg of cocaine worth $10,000,000,” the CMF statement said.

The narcotics were transported back to the ship for testing to confirm the contents and subsequently disposed of, the statement added. The intercepted vessels were “identified as having no nationality”, it said without indicating where they had originated.

It was “one of the most successful narcotics seizures for CMF,” Royal Saudi Naval Forces Comm­odore Fahad Aljoiad, commander of the CMF task force carrying out the operation, was quoted as saying. “The success of this focused operation highlights the importance of the multi-national collaboration.”

Meanwhile, a Pakistan Navy statement highlighted its “unwavering commitment to regional maritime security, global peace, and the collective fight against illicit trafficking at sea”.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2025