Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, involving Saudi Arabia's security forces and the Pakistan Navy, launched special operations in the Arabian Sea during which narcotics worth more than $972 million were seized. The joint special operation was launched as part of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), a multinational naval partnership including the United States among other members.
The drug peddlers were moving narcotics using sailboats when the Saudi-Pakistani personnel intercepted them. Several boats were stopped within 48 hours by the CTF 150 team on board the PNS Yarmook along with the.
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Some of the notable seizures during the operation included two tonnes of crystal methamphetamine (ICE) with an estimated street value of $822,400,000 (₹68,423,68,000) on October 18, and another 350 kg worth $140,000,000 (₹1,164,80,00,000) on October 20. In another raid, 50 kg of cocaine worth $10,000,000 (₹83,20,00,000) was also seized, the Khaleej Times quoted a CMF statement as saying. None of the boats used for the criminal activity could be associated with any nation, the report added. Methamphetamine, also known as ‘ice’ or ‘crystal meth’, is a highly addictive and powerful stimulant.
Most of the seizures were made after PNS Yarmook intercepted the vessels and the CTF 150 boarded them, the report said. "U.S. Central Command congratulates the Saudi-led Combined Task Force 150 of Combined Maritime Forces for successfully seizing more than $972 million worth of narcotics. Over a 48-hour period, Pakistan Navy Ship Yarmook conducted boarding operations of two dhows in the Arabian Sea," USCENTCOM said in a social media post following the operation.
What is CTF-150?
The CTF-150 is a multinational naval task force that operates in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean with the objective of ensuring maritime security. It also keeps a check on smuggling, illegal trafficking, and terrorism, among other known marine threats, and its command rotates among CMF members including Saudi Arabia, the USA, Pakistan, and Italy, among others.
The Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) regularly participate in CTF-150 missions and have played a pivotal role in cutting off funding channels and maritime smuggling routes of various terrorist groups.
What is CMF?
The Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) is a multinational naval partnership of 39 countries. It ensures maritime security is not threatened in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, and Persian Gulf. The U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet base in Manama, Bahrain, operates as the headquarters of the CMF and depends on voluntary participation of member nations.
On September 17, 2025, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan inked the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA), a pact declaring that an attack on one is an attack on both—a bold echo of NATO’s Article 5. Forged in the shadow of Israel’s September 9 airstrike on Doha, which targeted Hamas leaders with scant US response, this alliance reshapes Middle Eastern and South Asian geopolitics.