The maritime patrol aircraft of the Coast Guard Caribbean, the DASH 8, during a routine patrol spotted a drug shipment of 500 kilograms disturbed. This was done under the direction of the Royal Navy led operation in the eastern part of the Caribbean Sea.
The action took place last week, but in connection with the follow-up study could this information not previously disclosed.
The suspect vessel was observed from the air by the DASH 8. Soon after, the USCG Sector San Juan, a U.S. Coast Guard vessel at the time of detection in the vicinity of the suspect vessel was, sent it off. The chase was not without a struggle. A boarding of the suspect vessel eventually resulted in a rescue operation, as the suspect drug boat crew left sinking. Based on estimates of the U.S. Drug Enforcement organization Joint Interagency Task Force South, that the implementation of the operation co-ordinated, this involved 500 kilograms drugs.
The interception is credited with successes of the international drug control operation Martillo. In this operation many countries working together to international organized crime in Central America (and the Caribbean) a halt by illegal smuggling at sea and in the air. The operation is led by the Joint Interagency Task Force South, where the Commander of the Navy in the Caribbean, Brigadier General of Marines Dick Swijgman as one of the subordinate commanders part.
Swijgman, who is also director of the Coast Guard Caribbean, calls the recent interception further evidence for the usefulness and necessity of Navy and Coast Guard presence in the Caribbean region. "This kind interceptions show that both from the air and also at sea by the Coast Guard, Navy and international partners shoulder to shoulder work together to combat illegal activities at sea."