The US Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Chung-Hoon interdicted a shipment of narcotics aboard a stateless vessel while conducting maritime security operations in the international waters of the Gulf of Aden on December 27.
Chung-Hoon's visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) team seized over 4,900 kilograms of hashish while conducting a flag verification boarding.
The vessel was determined to be stateless following the flag verification boarding, conducted in accordance with customary international law. The vessel and its crew were allowed to depart once the narcotics were seized.
Chung-Hoon is currently deployed to the US 5th Fleet area of operations in the Central Region connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific.
