A Canadian warship seized 755 kg of cocaine worth $50 million
A Canadian warship returned to British Columbia after seizing narcotics estimated to be 755 kilograms of cocaine. The drugs have an estimated Canadian street value of $49.5 million.
On April 28, His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Edmonton returned to the ship’s home port at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt. The ship is back after a two-and-a-half-month deployment off the Pacific Coast of Central America under Operation CARIBBE, a joint task force with the US that patrols international waters for illicit drug trafficking.
A release states that during the ship’s deployment, HMCS Edmonton and two US Coast Guard ships intercepted a drug smuggling vessel off the coast of Mexico. The cocaine was seized, and seven people suspected of drug smuggling are in the custody of the US Department of Justice.
Since the vessel used to smuggle drugs posed a threat to navigation, it was disposed of at sea.
Royal Canadian Navy and United States Coast Guard Ships (Department of National Defence/Canada.ca)
Lieutenant-Commander Tyler Smith, commanding officer of HMCS Edmonton, said that he’s “extremely proud of the crew of HMCS Edmonton and the members from the United States Coast Guard.”
“HMCS Edmonton acted in direct coordination with USCG cutters to successfully interdict a drug smuggling vessel,” he said. “The crew of HMCS Edmonton have worked tirelessly since Operation CARIBBE commenced to enhance integration with our United States and Central American partners, which was critical to success in this fast-paced and complex interdiction.”
In partnership with the US, HMC ships have seized 4,591 kg of drugs in international waters since November 2021. The Canadian Armed Forces has helped to intercept 120 tonnes of cocaine in the last 15 years.
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