Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Brandon seized an estimated 700 Kg of cocaine in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard on November 5.
The cocaine, worth an estimated $28 million (USD), was recovered from the ocean in international waters off the Pacific Coast of Central America after being jettisoned by suspected smugglers in a panga-style fishing vessel that had been spotted by a USCG HC-130J aircraft patrolling the region.
HMCS Brandon launched two rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIB) with USCG law enforcement teams onboard to pursue the vessel and secure the 14 jettisoned bales.
Smugglers managed to escape, however, as the HMCS Brandon RHIB was unable to stop the panga vessel.
Operation Caribbe, under whixh HMCS Barndon is currently deployed, is Canada’s participation in the multinational campaign against illicit trafficking by transnational organized crime in the Caribbean Sea and the East Pacific Ocean.
A total of 14 bales were recovered, weighing an estimated 700 Kg in total. They were secured by one of the RHIBs and later recovered by HMCS Brandon. The seized substance was tested positive for cocaine by the USCG.
Since February 2016, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have seized or disrupted a total of approximately 3,630 kg of cocaine and 1,520 kg of marijuana. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has conducted Operation CARIBBE since November 2006. Joint Interagency Task Force South, a subordinate command of United States Southern Command, oversees the detection and monitoring of illicit traffickers and assists US and multinational law enforcement agencies with the interdiction of illicit traffickers.