Operation Martillo

Operation Martillo is a multi-national anti drug operation that began on 15 January 2012.

The aim is to combat international drug trafficking, enhance regional security, and promote peace, stability and prosperity throughout Central and South America.

“Martillo” which means “hammer” in Spanish, produced immediate results in seizing drugs in transit to the United States of America.

The United States Southern Command's (SOUTHCOM) Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-South), based in Key West, Florida, command the operation which includes forces from the following nations:

Land based support by the Belize Defense Force and Police with additional support from Canada.

The Canadian participation in the operation, which began in 2006 has been given the code name Operation Caribbe given the object of eliminating illegal trafficking in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean by organized crime and includes air and sea forces.

The world’s largest production country for cocaine.

A DH-8 aircraft employed in Operation Martillo crashed in Colombia in October 2013 resulting in the death of three Americans and one Panamanian operatives.

In May 2015, Colombia announced it was stopping using a controversial herbicide to destroy plantations of coca following a warning by the World Health Organization (WHO) that glyphosate is "probably carcinogenic".

A major conduit through which the cocaine traffic moves towards the United States with the Costa Rica Security Ministry predicting a huge increase to 1,700 tons moving through the country in 2016.

Granting permission for U.S. forces to use El Salvador as a base in the hunt for illegal drug shipments has allowed groups like Patrol Squadron 8 to fly missions from the country.

Land based operations, with the country permitting US Marines to join in the fight against drugs.

The Honduran Navy and US Coast Guard intercepted a sinking self-propelled semi-submersible vessel in March 2012.

The Royal Netherlands Navy deploying ships, with the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard supplying aircraft. A parallel operation Operation Caribeean Venture under the command of the Commander Netherlands Forces in the Caribbean, who works closely with JIATF-South and has the same objectives as Operation Martillo. HNLMS Friesland and HNLMS Zeeland have successfully participated in the operation.

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Wikipedia