SOUTHCOM Enhanced Counter Narcotics Operations

NOTE: This page is no longer being updated, but remains posted for historical reference. Visit the Countering Transnational Organized Crime page for the latest information on SOUTHCOM's counter narcotics missions.

U.S. Southern Command’s enhanced presence will support ongoing whole-of-government and internationally supported operations to reduce the availability of illicit drugs and save lives in the United States and throughout the region. The intent is to reduce the flow of illicit drugs, degrade transnational criminal organizations, and increase interoperability with our partner nations and interagency partners. The operation supports our objectives to degrade the capabilities of drug trafficking organizations, save lives, and directly support the National Drug Control Strategy.

Counter Narcotics Imagery

Royal Navy ship HMS Medway and US Coast Guard boarding team seized more than 400kg of cocaine from a boat in the Caribbean.

Royal Navy warship seizes cocaine in drug bust - Royal Navy ship HMS Medway and US Coast Guard boarding team seized more than 400kg of cocaine from a boat in the Caribbean Sept. 29, 2022. After an overnight operation to secure the contraband and detain the crew, the vessel was sunk by Medway’s gunnery team. (Royal Navy photo)

Drug offload - Bales of illegal drugs, worth an estimated $475 million, are offloaded onto pallets, Sept. 15, 2022, at Coast Guard Base Miami Beach, Florida. The illegal narcotics were offloaded by the crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Legare (WMEC 912). (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Stephen Lehmann)

Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos crewmembers offloaded 1,100 kilograms of cocaine, valued at $22 million dollars, at Coast Guard Base San Juan Aug. 8, 2022, following three separate interdictions of drug smuggling vessels near Puerto Rico.

220808-G-KA744-1001 - Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos crewmembers offloaded 1,100 kilograms of cocaine, valued at $22 million dollars, at Coast Guard Base San Juan Aug. 8, 2022, following three separate interdictions of drug smuggling vessels near Puerto Rico. Fourteen Dominican Republic nationals apprehended in these cases are facing federal prosecution in Puerto Rico. These interdictions are the result of multi-agency efforts involving the Caribbean Border Interagency Group and the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

The Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos small boat crew recovers 13 bales (1,653 pounds) of cocaine jettisoned from a drug smuggling vessel that was interdicted near Puerto Rico Aug. 3, 2022.

220803-G-G0107-2001 - The Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos small boat crew recovers 13 bales (1,653 pounds) of cocaine jettisoned from a drug smuggling vessel that was interdicted near Puerto Rico Aug. 3, 2022. Four Dominican Republic nationals who were apprehended in this case are facing federal prosecution in Puerto Rico. This interdiction is the result of multi-agency efforts involving the Caribbean Border Interagency Group and the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force. (U.S. Coast Guard photo).

The Coast Guard Cutter Kimball (WMSL-756) crew offloads about 11,300 pounds of cocaine and roughly 4,000 pounds of marijuana worth more than $223 million on March 31, 2022, in San Diego. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Alex Gray)

220320-G-WE178-958 - The Coast Guard Cutter Kimball (WMSL-756) crew offloads about 11,300 pounds of cocaine and roughly 4,000 pounds of marijuana worth more than $223 million on March 31, 2022, in San Diego. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Alex Gray)

Pallets of illegal narcotics offloaded from U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless' (WMEC-624) following a drug offload at Base Miami Beach, Florida, April 1, 2022.

220401-G-G0107-1003 - Pallets of illegal narcotics offloaded from U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless' (WMEC-624) following a drug offload at Base Miami Beach, Florida, April 1, 2022. The Dauntless is homeported in Pensacola, Florida. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Seaman Eric Rodriguez)

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless' (WMEC-624) crewmembers offload bales of illegal narcotics on to pallet at Base Miami Beach, Florida, April 1, 2022

220401-G-G0107-1002 - U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless' (WMEC-624) crewmembers offload bales of illegal narcotics on to pallet at Base Miami Beach, Florida, April 1, 2022. The Dauntless is homeported in Pensacola, Florida. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Seaman Eric Rodriguez)

220401-G-G0107-1001 - U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless' (WMEC-624) crewmembers offload bales of illegal narcotics on to pallet at Base Miami Beach, Florida, April 1, 2022. The Dauntless is homeported in Pensacola, Florida. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Seaman Eric Rodriguez)

Approximately 315 kilograms of suspected cocaine sits on the flight deck of USS Milwaukee.

220107-N-HD110-1534 - CARIBBEAN SEA - (Jan. 7, 2022) – Approximately 315 kilograms of suspected cocaine seized by the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) and embarked U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) 402 sits on the flight deck before being offloaded by law enforcement officials, Jan. 7, 2022. Milwaukee is deployed to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations to support Joint Interagency Task Force South’s mission, which includes counter-illicit drug trafficking missions in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Danielle Baker/Released)

U.S. Navy Sailors on a small boat wait on scene with a suspected drug smuggling go-fast vessel (GFV) during a drug interdiction operation, Jan. 7, 2021.

220107-N-HD110-1385 - CARIBBEAN SEA - (Jan. 7, 2022) -- Sailors assigned to the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) and embarked U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) 402, wait on scene with a suspected drug smuggling go-fast vessel (GFV) during a drug interdiction operation, Jan. 7, 2021. Milwaukee is deployed to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations to support Joint Interagency Task Force South’s mission, which includes counter-illicit drug trafficking missions in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Danielle Baker/Released)

SEE ALL COUNTER NARCOTICS IMAGERY AT DVIDS

OVERVIEW

Mission:

On April 1, 2020, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) began enhanced counternarcotics operations in the Western Hemisphere to disrupt the flow of drugs in support of Presidential national security objectives.

Location:

Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean.

Resources:

Additional U.S. capabilities include:

Navy destroyers and helicopters
Coast Guard cutters and helicopters
Navy littoral combat ships
Customs and Border Protection maritime patrol aircraft
Navy P-8 patrol aircraft
Air Force E-3 AWACS aircraft (ISR) and E-8 JSTARS aircraft (ISR)
Security Forces Assistance Brigade (SFAB) Company (advise and assist)

Ally & partner contributions:

22 nations provide intelligence and operations support as part of Joint Interagency Task Force – South (JIATF-South)
Key partners in this fight: Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Panama, as well as European partners France, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom -- will provide capabilities. 50% of interdictions last year involved partners.

U.S. whole of government efforts continue with interagency assets from Customs and Border Protection, DEA and others.

These enhanced counter-narcotics operations constitute an increase in Naval destroyers, combat ships, aircraft and helicopters, and Coast Guard cutters. Additional assets double capabilities in the region.

Purpose:

Our increased presence will:

Disrupt the flow of illicit drugs to the homeland, thereby protecting Americans
Reassure allies and partners; build their capacity to contribute to the counternarcotics fight

Additional Information:

Drugs pose a threat to the homeland as drug overdoses kill around 70,000 Americans each year. Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic, increase drug trafficking and can easily contribute to the spread of the virus.

Our multilateral counter-narcotics operations will be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic as supporting nations turn inward.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Learn more about SOUTHCOM's support to interagency and multinational efforts to Counter Transnational Criminal Organizations in the Western Hemisphere.
Learn more about Campaign Martillo, an ongoing U.S., European, and Western Hemisphere partner nation effort targeting illicit trafficking routes in coastal waters along the Central American isthmus.
Learn more about the U.S. military's two Cooperative Security Locations (CSLs), formerly known as Forward Operating Locations, in Latin America and the Caribbean. The CSLs are strategic, cost-effective locations in Comalapa, El Salvador and Aruba-Curacao, formerly part of the Netherlands Antilles, which allow U.S. and partner nation aircraft the use of existing airfields to support the region’s multinational efforts to Combat Transnational Organized Crime.
U.S. Dept. of State's International Narcotics Control Strategy Reports
U.S. Dept. of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs
Office of National Drug Control Policy

WATCH: President Visits SOUTHCOM For Briefing on Enhanced Counter Narcotics Operations

President Donald J. Trump addresses U.S. Southern Command personnel following a briefing on enhanced counternarcotics operations at Southcom headquarters in Doral, Fla., July 10, 2020.

Graphic for the Commander of U.S. Southern Command, Navy Adm. Craig S. Faller’s press briefing via telephone, hosted by the U.S. State Department, April 17, 2020 SOUTHCOM Commander Telephonic Press Briefing on Enhanced Counter Narcotics Operations

Audio and transcript of U.S. State Department's Media Hub of the Americas-hosted telephonic press briefing with the Commander of U.S. Southern Command, Navy Adm. Craig S. Faller, April 17, 2020. (Links to State.gov)

TWEETS from April 1 Announcement:

Today, President Trump announced enhanced counter-narcotics efforts in the #SOUTHCOM Area of Responsibility. “We’re deploying additional Navy destroyers, combat ships, aircraft & helicopters, Coast Guard Cutters...doubling our capabilities in the region." @DefenseDept @StateDept https://t.co/NbGuCRWo5w
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) April 1, 2020

“We must not let narco-terrorists exploit the pandemic to threaten American lives.” @DefenseDept @StateDept @TheJusticeDept @USAenEspanol
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) April 1, 2020

Graphic: “Enhanced Counter-Narcotic Operations.” On 1 April 2020, U.S. Southern Command began enhanced counternarcotics operations in the East Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea to disrupt the flow of drugs in support of Presidential national security objectives. A flood of enforcement resources: Ships: Navy destroyers | Coast Guard Cutters | Navy littoral combat ships. Aircraft: Helicopters on destroyers and cutters | Navy P-8 patrol aircraft | Air Force E-3 AWACS aircraft (ISR) | Air Force E-8 JSTARS aircraft (ISR). Ground Forces: Security Forces Assistance Brigade (SFAB) Company.