Canadian warship makes drug bust on Arabian Sea

A Canadian warship on patrol in the Arabian Sea made what the military is touting as an important drug seizure on Saturday.

HMCS Toronto intercepted and boarded a suspected smuggling vessel, seizing 154 bags of heroin weighing more than 180 kilograms, said a news release issued late Saturday.

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The drugs were catalogued and then destroyed, the release said.

The seizure took place about 800 kilometres east of the Horn of Africa.

"I'm extremely proud of the work Toronto's team, and all those on whom we rely for support, have done to achieve this success," said Commander Matthew Bowen, Toronto's skipper.

"A positive outcome like this, seizing and disposing of illegal narcotics whose sale would have funded extremist groups, is a big win for Canada's counter-terrorism efforts."

The frigate has made a number of drug seizures while on patrol in the past few months, including seizing 500 kilograms of heroin last March and about 5950 kilograms of hashish in another boarding incident in May.

The frigate is on patrol in the region as part of an international effort to curb terrorism and deter piracy on the high seas.