HMCS Saskatoon arrives home after successful deployment

Earlier today Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Saskatoon returned to Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt after a two-month deployment on Operation CARIBBE.

In one month during the operation, the ship seized a total of 1,124 kg of cocaine on March 12 and April 6 and subsequently disrupted an estimated 1,500 kg of cocaine on April 13 and 14 while working with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and embedded Law Enforcement Detachments in the international waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

“Our sailors worked seamlessly alongside the United States Coast Guard throughout this deployment, aiding in the interdiction of hundreds of kilograms of illicit drugs. Our success is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and professionalism of these sailors,” Lieutenant-Commander Todd Bacon, Commanding Officer, HMCS Saskatoon.

HMCS Saskatoon worked jointly with USCG Law Enforcement Detachments, the U.S. military, and partner navies in the region, to carry out the disruptions and seizures in support of Operation CARIBBE. The operation is Canada’s ongoing contribution to Operation MARTILLO the multinational campaign against transnational criminal organizations in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

“I am very proud to welcome home the sailors of HMCS Saskatoon today after another highly successful deployment on Operation CARIBBE. Their outstanding work has directly contributed to international safety and security by keeping these drugs off our streets and preventing criminal organizations from profiting off their sale,” Commodore Jeff Zwick, Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific.

This deployment marked the 11th year that the CAF have worked with Western Hemisphere and European partners to address security challenges in the region and successfully disrupt illicit trafficking operations.