AUSTRALIAN naval officers deployed to the Middle East have seized 414 kilograms of heroin before dumping the drugs at sea.

Crew members aboard the ship’s Seahawk chopper found the drugs after intercepting a smuggling vessel in the Western Indian Ocean.

The drugs had an estimated value of more than $124 million.

The HMAS Warramunga has seized and disposed 11.5 tonnes of hashish and 1.5 tonnes of heroin from seven vessels since deploying to the Middle East in November.

Catch of the day! HMAS Warramunga's crew has seized another 414 kilograms of heroin valued in excess of $124 million during an operation in the Western Indian Ocean. pic.twitter.com/IfiWG9utkM — RoyalAustralianNavy (@Australian_Navy) February 3, 2018

“As a result of this latest seizure, Warramunga has now taken more than $1 billion of narcotics out of circulation,” Commander Dugald Clelland said.

“Meaning the funds raised from this sale are no longer available for use by terrorist organisations around the world.”