Two CFB Esquimalt ships returned home Wednesday after a seven-week mission to Mexican waters where they intercepted about 1,400 kilograms of suspected cocaine, with an estimated street value of $60 million US.
HMCS Edmonton and HMCS Yellowknife were part of Operation Caribbe, an American-led operation that began in 2006 to disrupt the movement of illicit drugs in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea.
Lt.-Cmdr. Stuart MacDonald, commanding officer of HMCS Edmonton, said the amount of contraband seized was significant.
“That was a pretty good interdiction for a single bust,” he said. “Normally to get that much you’d have to be out a lot longer.”
MacDonald said the Canadian ships encountered the vessel that turned out to be carrying drugs after sailing out of the Mexican port city of Manzanillo.
“We got lucky on our second day out,” he said Wednesday. “It’s a big ocean, so sometimes it’s hard to find very small boats.”
The Canadians worked closely with the U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment during the mission, he said — HMCS Yellowknife had seven Americans as part of its crew.
The suspect vessel was boarded by HMCS Yellowknife crew members.
MacDonald said keeping drugs from reaching the streets in North America is a major goal of the operation.
“Of course, it’s very important to the Mexicans, as well, because these types of drug smuggling and drug cartels have a significant impact on their society,” he said, adding drug-smuggling often goes through very poor areas in the region, “so it’s pretty easy for cartels to buy, bribe, encourage people to run their drugs, and it takes a big effort to stop it.”
He said the vessel that was stopped was in bad condition and eventually sank, so the three people aboard were brought onto HMCS Yellowknife. They were turned over to authorities in San Diego, along with the contraband.
While the time with Operation Caribbe wasn’t as long as many missions the crew members experience, it’s always great to welcome them back to port, said Kenda Tatton, who was at the jetty with four-year-old daughter Layne to meet dad and husband Michael Tatton, a chief petty officer second class on HMCS Edmonton.
Kenda Tatton said it wasn’t the easiest absence to get through — or the hardest.
She said Michael has done about 1,000 days at sea in their almost 14 years together, adding it was his second time on Operation Caribbe. “You kind of get used to it.”
Meanwhile, CFB Esquimalt is set for a visit next week from the ship Hansando, part of the Republic of Korea Navy Cruise Training Task Group.
The vessel is set to arrive Tuesday, with tours to be held Tuesday and Thursday.
