HMCS Toronto intercepts heroin haul off African coast

The military says a Canadian Forces warship on patrol in the Indian Ocean has intercepted a vessel carrying a massive haul of heroin.

HMCS Toronto boarded the drug vessel Friday within 40 nautical miles of the coast of Tanzania and discovered 265 bags of heroin weighing in at more than 280 kilograms.

The Forces say the narcotics were catalogued and then disposed of.

It's the ninth time the frigate has intercepted drug shipments on the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean, and the military says 8.5 tonnes of narcotics have been recovered so far.

HMCS Toronto is on patrol in the region as part of an international effort to curb terrorism on the high seas.

Last month the frigate made what the military called the largest heroin seizure in the history of combined maritime forces operations when it recovered 538 kilograms of heroin after stopping a ship off the east coast of Africa.