Campaign Martillo

​Campaign Martillo (Hammer) is a U.S., European, and Western Hemisphere effort targeting illicit trafficking routes in coastal waters along the Central American isthmus.  U.S. military participation is led by Joint Interagency Task Force South, a component of U.S. Southern Command. 

Recent Photos

Crew of Coast Guard Cutter Resolute saran wrap illegal narcotics on the helicopter deck, Jan. 29, 2024, in St. Petersburg, FL. The drugs, once secured, are offloaded from the cutter and given to partner agencies for destruction. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicholas Strasburg)
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Resolute pose in front of interdicted drugs, Jan. 29, 2024, in St. Petersburg, FL. Drug interdiction is one of the 11 statutory missions of the Coast Guard. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicholas Strasburg)
Coast Guard Cutter Resolute’s law enforcement team board a suspected drug trafficking vessel on the Eastern Pacific Ocean, Dec. 10, 2023. The Resolute is homeported in St. Petersburg, Fla and was deployed to the Eastern Pacific Ocean conducting counter narcotics operations in support of Joint Interagency Task Force South. (U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Resolute photo)
Bales of illicit narcotics are stacked during an offload from Coast Guard Cutter Margaret Norvell at Coast Guard Base Miami, Jan. 9, 2024. The more than 2,450 pounds of drugs are worth an assessed street value of approximately $32.2 million. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Diana Sherbs)
A crew member from Coast Guard Cutter Margaret Norvell offloads illicit narcotics at Coast Guard Base Miami, Jan. 9, 2024. Six suspected smugglers were detained aboard the Norvell in addition to the narcotics that were a result of two suspected drug smuggling interdictions in the international waters of the Caribbean Sea. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Diana Sherbs)
A crew member from Coast Guard Cutter Margaret Norvell offloads illicit narcotics at Coast Guard Base Miami, Jan. 9, 2024. The offload is a result of two suspected drug smuggling interdictions in the international waters of the Caribbean Sea. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Diana Sherbs)
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba’s crew offload more than 7,700 pounds of cocaine worth over $102 million at Port Everglades, Florida, Nov. 15, 2023. The offloaded drugs were interdicted during four separate cases in the international waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean by the crews of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche, Escanaba, a U.S. Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron aircrew, a Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team, and federal and international partners. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of the Coast Guard’s Eighth District)
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba’s crew offload more than 7,700 pounds of cocaine worth over $102 million at Port Everglades, Florida, Nov. 15, 2023. The offloaded drugs were interdicted during four separate cases in the international waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean by the crews of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche, Escanaba, a U.S. Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron aircrew, a Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team, and federal and international partners. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of the Coast Guard’s Eighth District)
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba’s crew offload more than 7,700 pounds of cocaine worth over $102 million at Port Everglades, Florida, Nov. 15, 2023. The offloaded drugs were interdicted during four separate cases in the international waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean by the crews of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche, Escanaba, a U.S. Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron aircrew, a Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team, and federal and international partners. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of the Coast Guard’s Eighth District)
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter James pose with more than $445 million in illegal drugs seized by Coast Guard and partner agencies in Port Everglades, Florida, Oct 26, 2023. The offload is a result of suspected drug smuggling interdictions in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Eric Rodriguez.)
Over 900 pounds of cocaine sits on the deck of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Valiant (WMEC 621) while at sea on Sept. 13, 2023. Valiant interdicted the cocaine from a go-fast vessel during a counter-narcotics operation. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Valiant)
Crew members from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Valiant (WMEC 621) document and bring aboard illegal narcotics interdicted at sea on Sept. 13, 2023. Valiant interdicted the cocaine from a go-fast vessel during a counter-narcotics operation. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jake Piloto)
Bales of illegal narcotics, worth an estimated $160 million, are offloaded onto pallets by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Confidence (WMEC 619) crew, Sept. 19, 2023, at Coast Guard Base Miami Beach, Florida. Coast Guard and partner agency crews interdicted the illegal narcotics during nine separate cases in the international waters of the Caribbean Sea. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Santiago Gomez)
Crew members from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC 623) stack interdicted, illegal drugs on the flight deck of the cutter as they prepare to offload in San Diego, July 17, 2023.
Crew members from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC 623) stand on the flight deck of the cutter as they prepare to offload in San Diego, July 17, 2023.

Overview of U.S. military support to Campaign Martillo

The U.S. contribution to the multinational detection, monitoring and interdiction operation includes U.S. Navy and Coast Guard vessels, aircraft from U.S. federal law enforcement agencies, and military and law enforcement units from various nations working together to deny transnational criminal organizations the ability to exploit these transshipment routes for the movement of narcotics, precursor chemicals, bulk cash, and weapons along Central American shipping routes. 

Martillo is a critical component of the U.S. government’s coordinated interagency regional security strategy in support of the White House Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime and the U.S. Central America Regional Security Initiative.  Fourteen countries are participating: Belize, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Honduras, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States.  Chile has also contributed to the operation.

More information

Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF South)

The Key West, Fla.-based JIATF South is the National Task Force that serves as the catalyst for integrated and synchronized interagency counter-illicit trafficking operations, and is responsible for the detection and monitoring of suspect air and maritime drug activity in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and the eastern Pacific. JIATF South also collects, processes, and disseminates counter drug information for interagency and partner nation operations.  Learn more about Joint Interagency Task Force South

Department of Defense role

While the Department of Defense is not the lead agency responsible for countering threat networks, its unique capabilities can be leveraged to support other U.S. government and partner nation efforts. SOUTHCOM is aligned with and supports lead agencies, such as the Departments of Justice and State, as well as partner nations in the threat network fight. 

Department of Defense interdiction role explained

The DoD is the lead federal agency in efforts to detect and monitor aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs towards the United States.  Based on information gathered by JIATF South-coordinated operations, U.S. law enforcement agencies and partner nations take the lead in interdicting drug runners.  U.S. military interdiction involvement, if any, is in support of those law enforcement agencies. 

Typically, U.S. military personnel are involved in supporting an interdiction during maritime operations in international waters, where U.S. Navy ships and helicopters patrol and intercept suspected traffickers.  The actual interdictions – boarding, search, seizures and arrests – are led and conducted by embarked U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachments or partner nation drug law enforcement agencies. 

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