HMNZS TE KAHA’s recent successful deployment in the Western Indian Ocean saw the vessel's crew seized $235 million.

Drugs valued at more than $200 million have been seized and destroyed at sea by the NZ Defence Force.

At a lunchtime press conference, the NZDF said the drugs - 260kg of high-grade heroin worth about $235m - had been aimed at funding terrorism.

They were destroyed after being seized by HMNZS Te Kaha in an operation with the Combined Maritime Force.

NZDF Members of the NZ Defence Force board one of the drug-carrying dhows in the Indian Ocean.

HMNZS frigate Te Kaha found the drugs on two dhows headed for Africa in the Indian Ocean.

The first find was on June 8, when 139, 1kg bags of heroin were found. The second was Saturday, when 118kg of heroin was found after a seven hour search.

Commodore John Campbell said the drugs were being used to fund global terrorism but there was no way to verify this.

NZDF A photo released by the NZDF of the anti-drugs operation.

It was not known where the drugs originated but they were destined for east Africa and likely into Europe, Campbell said.



The drugs were hosed into the Indian Ocean with a small amount sent away for testing.

Marine life was not thought to have been harmed as the drugs were heavily diluted.



It was believed the heroin was between 60 and 80 percent pure, making it notably strong.

The Te Kaha stopped seven dhows since early May, finding drugs on two of them.

The fishing crew aboard the dhows were allowed to go once the drugs were seized.

It was not clear if they were aware of the drugs but the NZDF had no powers to detain them.

Under United Nations conventions, they could take the drugs.

"New Zealand may be a relatively small small nation but as good international citizens, we do play our part in maintaining global security," Campbell - NZDF's maritime component commander - said.

Te Kaha was in the area as part of a United States-led partnership focused on stopping drugs, human trafficking, piracy and terrorism in the Western Indian Ocean.

Te Kaha had been tasked with finding drugs and had been focused in the area of the Horn of Africa and Madagascar since early May.

In the same operation, Australian frigate HMAS Newcastle intercepted 724kg of heroin with a street value of $660m.

"The seizure of these drugs has also contributed to the [joint operation's] efforts to staunch the flow of funds for terrorist activities in the Middle East and internationally."

Te Kaha's crew faced no resistance when they boarded the dhows, Campbell said.

He did not know what portion of the world's heroin supply had been stopped or whether the find - trumpeted as a blow to international terrorism - could have repercussions for New Zealand.