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U.S. Navy Seizes 1,400 Assault Rifles
Military Spot ^ | DECEMBER 23, 2021 | NAVCENT Public Affairs

Posted on 12/24/2021 7:59:29 AM PST by texas booster

U.S. 5th Fleet ships seized approximately 1,400 AK-47 assault rifles and 226,600 rounds of ammunition from a stateless fishing vessel during a flag verification boarding in accordance with customary international law in the North Arabian Sea, Dec. 20.

U.S. Navy patrol coastal ships USS Tempest (PC 2) and USS Typhoon (PC 5) found the weapons during a search conducted by embarked U.S. Coast Guard personnel. The illicit weapons and ammunition were later transported to guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) where they await final disposition.

The stateless vessel was assessed to have originated in Iran and transited international waters along a route historically used to traffic weapons unlawfully to the Houthis in Yemen. The direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of weapons to the Houthis violates U.N. Security Council Resolutions and U.S. sanctions.

The vessel’s five crew members identified themselves as Yemeni nationals and will be returned to Yemen.

After removing the crew and illicit cargo, U.S. naval forces determined the stateless vessel was a hazard to navigation for commercial shipping and sank it.


TOPICS: Egypt; Foreign Affairs; Israel; News/Current Events; Russia; Syria; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 5thfleet; antitank; china; coastguard; dhow; djibouti; egypt; houthis; iran; iraq; israel; lebanon; mullahloversonfr; putinsbuttboys; randpaulsucks; ronpaulsucks; rpg; russia; saudiarabia; somalia; syria; type56; usnavy; ussmonterey; ussokane; usstempest; usstyphoon; usswinstonschurchill; waronterror; yemen
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... U.S. naval forces regularly perform maritime security operations in the Middle East to ensure the free flow of legitimate trade and to disrupt the transport of illicit cargo that often funds terrorism and other unlawful activity. U.S. Navy warships operating in the U.S. 5th Fleet region have seized approximately 8,700 illicit weapons in 2021.

Guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) seized dozens of advanced Russian-made anti-tank guided missiles, thousands of Chinese Type 56 assault rifles, and hundreds of PKM machine guns, sniper rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers from a stateless vessel transiting the North Arabian Sea in May.

In February, guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) seized a cache of weapons off the coast of Somalia, including thousands of AK-47 assault rifles, light machine guns, heavy sniper rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and crew served weapons. The inventory also included barrels, stocks, optical scopes and weapon systems.

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 5th Fleet

1 posted on 12/24/2021 7:59:29 AM PST by texas booster
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To: texas booster

2 posted on 12/24/2021 8:01:02 AM PST by texas booster (Join FreeRepublic's Folding@Home team (Team # 36120) Cure Alzheimer's!)
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To: texas booster

PC 5 (Five Boat) was our sister boat. I was on Six Boat (Sirocco) for three years. Loved every second of it. We were still SPEC OPS then. Did some interesting things...


3 posted on 12/24/2021 8:03:10 AM PST by Mathews (It's all gravy, baby!)
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To: texas booster

Looks like a live shot of the (now) sunken dhow.

Are those things ever used for anything except smuggling?

4 posted on 12/24/2021 8:04:12 AM PST by texas booster (Join FreeRepublic's Folding@Home team (Team # 36120) Cure Alzheimer's!)
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To: texas booster

That's a lotta crap the dhow is carrying. And we ask our guys to touch it?

5 posted on 12/24/2021 8:05:53 AM PST by texas booster (Join FreeRepublic's Folding@Home team (Team # 36120) Cure Alzheimer's!)
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To: texas booster
The vessel’s five crew members identified themselves as Yemeni nationals and will be returned to Yemen.

Are you sure? Wouldn't AOC and the White House rather bring them to the USA as special refugees?

6 posted on 12/24/2021 8:06:35 AM PST by PGR88
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To: texas booster

Nice overhead shot of the dhow.

7 posted on 12/24/2021 8:07:21 AM PST by texas booster (Join FreeRepublic's Folding@Home team (Team # 36120) Cure Alzheimer's!)
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To: texas booster

in accordance with customary international law in the North Arabian Sea, Dec. 20.
....

search conducted by embarked U.S. Coast Guard personnel.
***Coast Guard? Isn’t their bailiwick supposed to be the US Coasts?


8 posted on 12/24/2021 8:08:08 AM PST by Kevmo (I’m immune from Covid since I don’t watch TV.🤗)
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To: texas booster

I wonder if they will be resold through Atlanta Cutlery? The sale could offset the budget deficit.


9 posted on 12/24/2021 8:08:55 AM PST by vetvetdoug
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To: texas booster

I’ll take a Type 56, or three.


10 posted on 12/24/2021 8:09:19 AM PST by Antihero101607
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To: PGR88

Yeah, I suspect that the crew should have advised the Navy that they were Mexican nationals and asked for asylum.

The Navy wouldn’t believe them but someone in Congress or on PBS would scream for repatriation.

And gift cards plus Medicaid for life.


11 posted on 12/24/2021 8:09:28 AM PST by texas booster (Join FreeRepublic's Folding@Home team (Team # 36120) Cure Alzheimer's!)
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To: Mathews

Has the statute of limitations passed where you can share some stories of derring-do?


12 posted on 12/24/2021 8:10:29 AM PST by texas booster (Join FreeRepublic's Folding@Home team (Team # 36120) Cure Alzheimer's!)
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To: texas booster

*beeeeeeyooooooowwwwwww*

*screeching tires*

“Yes, officer, what is it?”

“May I see your license and registration, please?”


13 posted on 12/24/2021 8:10:36 AM PST by Scarlett156 (Don't take it personally. I just get bored really easily. )
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To: texas booster

As I mentioned in another thread, why not handcuff the smugglers to the boat and scuttle it.


14 posted on 12/24/2021 8:11:19 AM PST by ByteMercenary (Slo-Joe and KamalHo are not my leaders.)
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To: Antihero101607

I was gonna say! Will there be a sale?


15 posted on 12/24/2021 8:11:26 AM PST by Scarlett156 (Don't take it personally. I just get bored really easily. )
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To: Kevmo

No, the Navy has sent the CG all over the world.

Some is for cross training of the crews, and some is because the CG has a different, nonmilitary mission.

Maybe some other coasties can chime in here.


16 posted on 12/24/2021 8:12:11 AM PST by texas booster (Join FreeRepublic's Folding@Home team (Team # 36120) Cure Alzheimer's!)
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To: texas booster

That’s fine. However it should be noted that the 9/11 Saudis despite acquiring over $ 1 trillion worth of American military equipment cannot overcome irregulars in adjacent Yemen and create stability. Watching Biden beg these corrupt, cowardly lowlifes to pump more oil is repulsive.


17 posted on 12/24/2021 8:12:21 AM PST by allendale
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To: Scarlett156

Thanks for the story ... ;)


18 posted on 12/24/2021 8:13:07 AM PST by texas booster (Join FreeRepublic's Folding@Home team (Team # 36120) Cure Alzheimer's!)
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To: texas booster

Nope. Never will. I can say we worked with the best in the world (multiple countries and services) and visited places no other sailors have been since WWII or before.


19 posted on 12/24/2021 8:13:40 AM PST by Mathews (It's all gravy, baby!)
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To: Kevmo

CG has been sent to dozens of countries, at least since the ‘60s.

I would guess it’s ‘coast guard’ due to the type of ships and training.


20 posted on 12/24/2021 8:23:41 AM PST by jjotto (Blessed are You LORD, who crushes enemies and subdues the wicked.)
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