HNLMS GRONINGEN

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Search for missing persons following counter drug mission suspended

The U.S. Coast Guard, Royal Netherlands Navy and Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard suspended a search for three suspected smugglers who went overboard during the pursuit of a non-compliant vessel suspected of smuggling illicit narcotics in the Caribbean Sea, June 4, 2024. In the early morning hours, a Royal Netherlands Navy ship with an embarked U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment deployed for a counter drug patrol identified a vessel suspected of smuggling narcotics in international waters. The vessel failed to stop when signaled and the smuggling vessel operator instead increased speed and changed direction toward the Dutch pursuit boat, called a fast-raiding interception and special forces craft (FRISC). The FRISC boat crew, consisting of Dutch and U.S. Coast Guard boarding team members, discharged their weapons at the go-fast vessel in self-defense and defense of others in response to the life-threatening situation. The go-fast vessel caught fire and sank, and three suspected smugglers went overboard into the water and were not recovered. There were no reported injuries to the combined law enforcement team members. Assets and crews involved in the search efforts included: - Royal Netherlands Navy ship HNLMS 'Groningen'; - Royal Netherlands Navy ship HNLMS 'Pelikaan'; - U.S. Coast Guard helicopter; - Kustwacht Caribisch Gebied helicopter; - Kustwacht Caribisch Gebied cutter 'Jaguar'.

15 tons of drugs intercepted

The Zr.Ms. 'Groningen' has intercepted four drug smuggling boats in the period from Aug 19 to Sep 3 in the Caribbean. This means that the ship had already seized 15,000 kilos of prohibited substances. Never before have so many drugs been intercepted in the Caribbean by the Royal Navy in one year.

Patrol ship intercepted another drug smuggling boat

The Zr. Ms. 'Groningen has caught another 1,600 kilogrammes of drugs on Aug 8. Two weeks ago, an equally large amount was captured. The ship arrived in the Caribbean in April 2022 and has been patrolling the Dutch Caribbean region ever since. The crew has so far captured more than 5,500 kg of drugs during seven interventions. The eight suspects on the latest drug vessel were handed over to the Dutch Caribbean Police Force KPCN, the police force of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (the BES islands). The speedboat was discovered by the Maritime Operation Centre (MOC) of the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard on the night of Aug 7. The MOC alerted the Zr. Ms. 'Groningen' immediately, and the ship was present the next morning in the area and launched both fast FRISCs, which intercepted the speedboat. The crew on board the go-fast threw the packages of drugs overboard when they realised they were being chased. Once the Zr. Ms. 'Groningen' was alongside, the speedboat was ordered to stop and the suspects surrendered. The crew of the Zr. Ms. 'Groningen' and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard removed 66 packages with a total of 1,600 kg of drugs from the water. The drugs were destroyed by order of the prosecutor. Two weeks ago, the crew of the Zr. Ms. 'Groningen' detected a speedboat with drugs near Curaçao. The powerboat with five suspects on board immediately raced away. The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard chased it and fired several shots to force it to stop. One of the crew was killed. The Venezuelan crew managed to throw several bales of drugs overboard during the chase. Eventually, 1,620 kg of drugs were seized on the boat. The Coast Guard arrested four men and handed them and the remains of the fifth suspect over to the police of Curaçao. The drug seizures in the past four months, since the arrival of the Zr. Ms. 'Groningen' in Curaçao on April 19, exceed the 3,300 kg intercepted in 2021 and come close to the 5,842 kg of drugs that were seized in 2020. The investigative activities in the area continued.