A Royal Navy warship and a new RFA tanker were called in to help British and Spanish customs officers to seize more than three tonnes of cocaine from a wartime torpedo boat hundreds of miles out in the Atlantic.

Type 22 frigate HMS Cumberland, the Fleet Ready Escort ship, was in Devonport when the call came last Tuesday for her to put to sea at short notice, according to the ship’s Marine Engineer Officer Lt Cdr Geoff Adams.

The frigate made a 1,500-mile fast passage to join the operation, which was staged on Thursday. There she was instrumental in the boarding of a converted World War II Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB), around 40-50ft in length vessel.

Fleet Air Arm aircraft and the new Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker Wave Knight were also involved in the seizure.

On board was found a record 3.6 tonnes of cocaine, with an estimated street value of more than £250 million. The eight-man crew was arrested by Spanish customs and are now in custody.

The seizure of the craft was the culmination of one of the largest UK Customs-led maritime narcotics operations in European waters, and brings to more than £1,570 million the total value of drugs seized in Royal Navy counter-narcotics operations in the past five years.

Capt Mike Mansergh, the Commanding Officer of HMS Cumberland, said: “This has been a most successful operation, in which the ship’s companies of HMS Cumberland and RFA Wave Knight performed superbly in the interdiction of such a large quantity of cocaine.

“This operation demonstrates that the Royal Navy is still fully involved in important missions to protect British interests worldwide, despite our recent commitments in the Gulf.”

It has been reported that the craft, which was boarded at high speed, was originally a German-built military craft, and that it was being used to carry Colombian drugs into Europe.

Customs minister and Economic Secretary to the Treasury John Healey said: “This operation has stopped Class A drugs reaching the streets of the UK and harming our communities.

“Criminals today are sophisticated and well-financed but by being flexible, working internationally and using new enforcement methods Customs is more than a match for them.”

Chief Investigation Officer for HMS Customs Paul Evans said: “This is an excellent example of our close and continuing co-operation with the Spanish authorities to tackle Class A drugs.

“This type of joint operation demonstrates 21st century law enforcement methods working in practice to deal with today’s criminal threats.

“We have prevented a huge amount of cocaine ever reaching our streets.”

Cumberland returned from an eight-month deployment on Operation Oracle, the international war against terrorism, in February, since when she has been undergoing maintenance and her ship’s company taking accrued leave.