WELLINGTON, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Defense Minister Ron Mark on Friday congratulated the Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 Orion aircraft and Kiwi personnel on the seizure of 300 million NZ dollars (221 million U.S. dollars) worth of heroin in the Western Indian Ocean earlier this week.
"A result like this proves the worth of our deployment in support of the Combined Maritime Forces," Mark said in a statement, adding that the high-end surveillance capability of the P-3K2 aircraft is a vital weapon in the fight against terrorism and crime.
"It is one of New Zealand's most important contributions to international security," Mark said, adding that successes like this interception hit terrorists where it hurts, by depriving them of funds for their deadly activities, and also stops these drugs getting onto the streets where they ruin lives.
Surveillance information from the Orion enabled the Australian frigate HMAS Warramunga to intercept a fishing boat carrying 915 kg of heroin, and New Zealand sailors in exchange postings on Warramunga were at the helms of the two boats carrying the ship's boarding parties during the operation, he said.
"This operation was an unqualified success, involving seamless collaboration between our aircraft and the Royal Australian Navy frigate," the defense minister said.
