Canadian Warship Record Interdictions in Single Deployment

HMCS Calgary Redeploys With CMF Record For Most Interdictions By A Single Ship

ROYAL CANADIAN Navy (RCN) ship HMCS Calgary conducted three successful counter-narcotics interdictions June 4-7, raising their total to 17 in eight weeks, and setting a record for the most interdictions by a vessel in a single deployment in support of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, part of Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). 

Calgary’s final three seizures include 9,160 lbs (4,155 kg) of hashish seized on June 4, and 474 lbs (215 kg) of heroin in two separate interdictions June 6-7. The estimated value of the seizures is over $4.37 million dollars.  

Members of HMCS Calgary stand with 165 lbs (75 kg) contraband heroin seized on 6 June, 2021 in the Northern Arabian Sea during OPERATION ARTEMIS as part of Combined Task Force 150. (Photo Credit: Corporal Lynette Ai Dang, Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Calgary, Imagery Technician @2021 DND/MDN CANADA).

“I’m so impressed with the work of HMCS Calgary and all of our international partners in Combined Task Force 150,” said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CMF. “Setting the CMF record for maritime interdictions is a credit to the dedication and leadership of Calgary’s crew, and the Royal Canadian Navy. 

More importantly, these interdictions resulted in the destruction of over 80,000 pounds of illegal drugs while ensuring over $100 million in proceeds were kept out of the hands of terrorist organizations, and other groups who would have used this money to bring harm to others.”

During its deployment, Calgary also broke the CMF record for the largest single heroin interdiction on April 23, seizing 2,835 lbs (1,286 kg) of narcotics off the Coast of Oman.

During operations in the Northern Arabian Sea, boarding teams from the HMCS Calgary approach a suspicious dhow on 4 June, 2021, leading to Calgary’s CMF record-breaking counter-narcotics seizure. (Photo Credit: Corporal Lynette Ai Dang, Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Calgary, Imagery Technician @2021 DND/MDN CANADA).

CTF-150 commander, Commodore Daniel Charlebois, praised Calgary’s crew for its success. “Since arriving in the CTF-150 area of operations, HMCS Calgary has been relentless in pursuit of their mission goals. The results Calgary has achieved to date are simply remarkable, unprecedented and reflect the strength of leadership and character of a very special ship’s company,” he said.  

The RCN has provided ongoing support to the CMF mission since its inception in 2001. During its two-month period of support to CTF-150, Calgary seized over 80,898 lbs (36,722 kg) of illicit narcotics worth over $106.9 million, dispossessing regional criminal and terrorist organizations of substantial revenues. 

Members of HMCS Calgary board a dhow, on 6 June 2021, during OPERATION ARTEMIS as part of Combined Task Force 150. (Photo Credit: Corporal Lynette Ai Dang, Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Calgary, Imagery Technician @2021 DND/MDN CANADA).

CMF is a multinational maritime partnership of 34 nations which exists to uphold the International Rules-Based Order by countering illicit non-state actors on the high seas and promoting security, stability, and prosperity across approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters, which encompass some of the world’s most important shipping lanes.

HMCS Calgary’s counter-narcotics operations in direct support to CTF-150 in 2021 are as follows: 

Source: CMF