The Australian Border Force (ABF) with the assistance of Tasmania Police will examine a vessel being escorted into the port of Hobart today.

A routine aerial patrol conducted by a Royal Australian Air Force patrol aircraft, assigned to the ABF’s Maritime Border Command, identified a commercial vessel approximately 50 metres in length.

The ABF’s Maritime Border Command began monitoring the vessel and subsequently tracked it moving south down the west coast of Australia, across the Great Australian Bight and towards the Tasmanian coastline.

On Monday 12 December, Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel from HMAS Adelaide intercepted and boarded the vessel under the direction of the ABF’s Maritime Border Command, on the basis of the vessel’s suspected involvement in illicit drug smuggling.

HMAS Adelaide escorted the vessel to Hobart where the vessel will be searched and the crew interviewed by federal and state authorities.

Assistant Commissioner Glenn Frame said this operation is an excellent example of the state and federal agencies working collaboratively together to protect the Australian community.

Rear Admiral Laver, RAN, Commander Maritime Border Command, praised the conduct of ADF members on HMAS Adelaide for their safe boarding of the vessel in difficult conditions.