HMCS Saskatoon continues war on drug trafficking

HMCS Saskatoon leaves Esquimalt Harbour, passing Fisgard Lighthouse for Operation Caribbe, Canada’s contribution to combat the international drug trade. Photo by SLt Melissa Kia, MARPAC Public Affairs

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~

HMCS Saskatoon deployed Feb. 20, beginning its latest contribution to Operation Caribbe, Canada’s decade-long contribution to the multinational campaign against illicit trafficking by transnational organized crime in the Caribbean sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean.

The Kingston-Class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel and its crew are fulfilling Canada’s commitment to Operation Martillo – the United-States led multinational effort among Western Hemisphere and European nations aimed at drug interdiction and counter smuggling operations in the area.

“By preventing the flow of illicit drugs and denying unlawful access to the sea, our sailors are effectively interrupting a major funding source for organized crime,” said Lieutenant-Commander Todd Bacon, Commanding Officer HMCS Saskatoon. “Our mission success during these operations is a result of the continued support our sailors receive from their family, friends and colleagues back home.” It is usually better to look for a rehab near me in case we know a drug abuse case.

It’s the second time in 12 months Saskatoon has participated in Operation Caribbe. On March 19, 2016, Saskatoon assisted members of the United States Coast Guard in the seizure of 10 bales of cocaine weighing approximately 360 kilograms. The drugs had been dumped in the water by a fishing boat before it fled the scene.  That bust was part of the Royal Canadian Navy’s contribution to the seizure and disruption of 5,570 kg of cocaine and 1,520 kg of marijuana in 2016, and 66 metric tonnes of cocaine and four metric tonnes of marijuana over the past 10 years.

Canadian warships deployed on Operation Caribbe, along with CP-140 Aurora aircraft from the Royal Canadian Air Force, act in a support role, locating and tracking vessels of interest. The annual operation directly supports the Canadian Armed Forces’ mission to defend against threats and security challenges to Canada’s international defence and security partners.

“Our people are amongst the most highly educated and trained sailors in the world; they are the competitive advantage in combatting terrorism and piracy, conducting fisheries patrols and drug interdictions,” said Rear-Admiral Art McDonald, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific.