Royal Navy: HMS Dauntless to make triumphant return to Portsmouth after previous delay and huge drug busts

HMS Dauntless will be sailing back into HMNB Portsmouth following a busy deployment in the Caribbean – which she started in June. According to the King’s Harbour Master shipping movements, the warship will be at anchor at sea in the Solent tomorrow evening.

A Royal Navy spokeswoman said she is due to be passing The Round Tower at 9.25am on Friday morning (December 8). The News understands that HMS Dauntless was originally due to return home last week.

NOW READ: HMS Dauntless seizes huge £60m drugs haul

Where has HMS Dauntless been and what has she been doing?

The Type 45 destroyer has been working hard to tackle drug smugglers in the areas around South America and in the Caribbean Sea. A large £60m haul of cocaine was confiscated from illicit vessels in November after she deployed her Wildcat helicopters to track them.

Commanding Officer Commander Ben Dorrington said he could not ask anything more from his team for the hard work and dedication they showed during the operation. A larger drugs haul was confiscated from smugglers in September, with over £140m worth of narcotics being taken from two vessels. Her state-of-the-art sensors played a role to track suspicious aircraft, which were then intercepted.

The plane was originally spotted flying from Venezuela at the time. The warship’s crew also took part in Exercise Unitas off the coast of Colombia in July – with sailors being involved in traditional military drills with several nations. They also support British Overseas Territories during hurricane season.