Canadian Ships Return After Drug Interception Operation
On September 25, 2024, His Majesty's Canadian Ships (HMCS) Edmonton and Yellowknife returned to Esquimalt, British Columbia, after a seven-week deployment on Operation CARIBBE. During this mission, on September 5, 2024, HMCS Yellowknife intercepted a drug smuggling vessel approximately 430 nautical miles southwest of Acapulco, Mexico. This operation, conducted in partnership with the United States Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, resulted in the seizure of approximately 1,400 kilograms of cocaine, valued at an estimated $60 million CAD.
Operation CARIBBE is part of Canada's contribution to the U.S.-led Enhanced Counternarcotics Operations under Joint Interagency Task Force - South. This task force is responsible for international detection, monitoring, and interdiction of illicit trafficking. The operation aims to suppress transnational criminal activity at sea and prevent drugs from reaching Canadian shores.
HMCS Edmonton and Yellowknife are Kingston-class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels, designed for coastal surveillance and patrolling. The Royal Canadian Navy has been conducting Operation CARIBBE since November 2006, working with Western Hemisphere and European partners to address regional security challenges and disrupt illicit trafficking operations.