Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Navy offload $44.2 million worth of drugs in San Diego

On the morning of Sept. 12, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy offloaded $44.2 million worth of cocaine in San Diego. The operation, carried out by the crew of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Yellowknife (HMCS-706) and a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment team, intercepted over 3,100 pounds of cocaine approximately 430 miles southwest of Acapulco on Sept. 5.

“I commend the entire crew of the Yellowknife for their successful patrol in the Eastern Pacific and thank them for their dedicated service,” said Capt. Tim Lavier, chief of response for the Coast Guard’s District 11, in a news release. “Deploying a Coast Guard law enforcement team aboard a Canadian Navy ship in this region highlights the strong partnership we’ve built with our Canadian allies.”

A wide range of U.S. agencies, including the departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security, collaborate in the fight against transnational organized crime. Agencies like the Coast Guard, Navy, Customs and Border Protection, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with international partners, contribute to counter-narcotics efforts.

Lt. Cmdr. Tyson Babcock, commanding officer of HMCS Yellowknife, expressed his gratitude to his crew and the Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment team for their joint effort. “We are proud to support the multinational initiative to curb illegal trafficking through Operation CARIBBE, Canada’s contribution to U.S.-led counternarcotics operations under Joint Interagency Task Force South. This operation is crucial to reducing the flow of illicit drugs and enhancing the safety and security of North, Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean.”

The fight against drug cartels in the Eastern Pacific requires collaboration at all stages, from detection and interdiction to prosecution by international partners and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The Coast Guard’s District 11, headquartered in Alameda, Calif., oversees the law enforcement aspect of counter-smuggling operations in the Eastern Pacific. These interdictions, including the boardings, are led by members of the Coast Guard.