Two navy ships left Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt Monday for a seven-week assignment in the eastern Pacific Ocean to fight the drug trade as part of Operation Caribbe.
During the deployment, HMCS Edmonton and HMCS Yellowknife will be part of efforts led by the United States Coast Guard to track and intercept vessels of interest in order to disrupt the flow of illicit drugs and goods from South America to the Caribbean and North America.
Canadian crews will be boarding vessels with U.S. Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team members, backed by other nations and maritime patrol aircraft.
Operation Caribbe started in November 2006 as Canada’s contribution to American activities in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea, and expanded in October 2010 with an agreement allowing U.S. Coast Guard teams to operate from Canadian ships.
While part of Operation Caribbe in April 2023, HMCS Edmonton helped intercept about 755 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated Canadian street value of $49.5 million.
HMCS Yellowknife joined the U.S. Coast Guard during Operation Caribbe in February 2022 in responding to 21 cases of potential illicit activity, which resulted in about 872 kg of cocaine being seized and destroyed.
