Rear-Admiral Michel, director JIATF-South explains to the Governors facts about a confiscated improvised submersible used for drugs smuggling. International criminal organisations appear inventive in seeking new ways to smuggle drugs.
The Governors of Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten have recently visited the American military headquarters USSOUTHCOM in Miami, FL and the counter-drugs organisation JIATF-South in Key West. An extraordinary trip, as the three Governors have not visited these organisations all together before.
Governor Eugene Holiday of St Maarten, Frits Goedgedrag of Curaçao and Fredis Refunjol of Aruba and were accompanied by the Commander Netherlands Forces in the Caribbean, brigadier-general Dick Swijgman. Swijgman also being a subordinate commander of one of the taskgroups of the counter-drugs organisation JIATF-South.
In Miami the delegation visited the United States Southern Command. USSOUTHCOM is responsible for the deployment of US forces in Central and South America; an area of responsibility of roughly 16 million miles. The Governors were received by the cilivian deputy commander, Ambassador Martinez. Open and reciprocal, the discussions that followed between the Governors and the USSOUTHCOM staff took place on a strategic military and political level. The Governors were furthermore briefed on the threats posed by transnational organised crime to the Caribbean region. Countering this threat is considered the highest priority by the commander of USSOUTHCOM.
The Joint Interagency Task Force South situated in Key West combats illicit trafficing (drugs, weapons and illigal immigration) by conducting operations at sea. The Task Force is very active in the Caribbean Sea, including the Eastern Caribbean. At JIATF-South, the Governors were met by Rear-Admiral (USCG) Charles Michel, who briefed the Governors on JIATF-South’s efforts, results and international cooperation.