33,000 kg of illegal narcotics were seized by a Bahrain-based task force in recent months, it was announced. The drugs, seized by Canada-led Task Force (CTF) and the Royal Australian Navy, were of a value of over US$41 million. It was the second largest volume of illegal narcotics seized in CTF’s 150-year history. “The success we achieved was a team effort with our CMF coalition partners,” Lookout newspaper, a Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt’s publication, quoted a CTF commander as saying.

“Deterring and denying terrorists the use of the seas as a venue for illegal activities is a team effort as no single state can shoulder this burden alone. The very nature of CTF 150 operations requires the Task Force to work closely with partners and allies to achieve success. Strengthening relationships with regional navies improves interoperability, and allows CTF 150 to build trust, share information, and remain engaged in regional efforts and challenges,” the commander said.

CTF 150 and coalition partners said they work to deter terrorist organisations from employing the high seas for smuggling narcotics, UN embargoed weapons and Somalian charcoal. Canada command of Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150) has handed over command to Pakistan Navy, after completing Canada’s fourth command of this multinational counter-terrorism Task Force.