Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Saskatoon departed Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt today to participate in Operation CARIBBE, Canada's contribution to Op MARTILLO - the multinational campaign against transnational criminal organizations in the Pacific Ocean.
Commanding Officer of HMCS Saskatoon, Lieutenant-Commander Todd Bacon says, "by preventing the flow of illicit drugs and by denying unlawful access to the sea, our sailors effectively interrupt a major funding source for organized crime."
In its last 10 years of participation, the Royal Canadian Navy has contributed to seizing or disrupting over 66 metric tonnes of cocaine and almost 4 metric tonnes of marijuana.