USS Anzio seizes drugs in Gulf of Aden

USS ANZIO, Gulf of Aden - The Norfolk-based USS Anzio, patrolling the Gulf of Aden for pirates, instead seized approximately four tons of hashish.

The drugs, seized October 15 from a skiff approximately 170 miles southwest of Salalah, Oman, have an estimated street-value of $28 million.

According to the Navy, the skiff was spotted traveling at a high speed by Anzio's crew. Following a brief chase, the skiff was boarded by Anzio's visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) team, which included officers from the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy.

After the seizure, the drugs were thrown overboard and destroyed. It was the first seizure of narcotics ever conducted by the USS Anzio (CG 68).

"The seizure of these drugs takes money out of the hands of those financing terrorists in the region," said Rear Adm. Scott E. Sanders, Commander, Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, embarked aboard Anzio. "Yesterday these sailors were hunting pirates, today they have sent a message to all would-be smugglers that we won't tolerate pirates or drug traffickers in these waters."

"At first we had no idea what the skiff was doing out here in these waters, we were wary that they could have been pirates," said Capt. Frank J Olmo, Commanding Officer of the USS Anzio. "My VBSS teams are trained to handle these situations safely and efficiently."

Naval Forces assigned to the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) have seized more than 22 tons of narcotics during 2009. In 2008, CMF forces seized more than 53 tons of narcotics.

Anzio, a guided-missile cruiser, is the flagship for CTF 151, and has been operating in the region for five months. CTF 151 is a multinational task force established in January, 2009, by the CMF headquartered in Manama, Bahrain. They conduct counter piracy operations under a mission-based mandate to actively deter, disrupt and suppress piracy in order to protect global maritime security, and secure freedom of navigation for the benefit of all nations.