From U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command / U.S. 4th Fleet
CARIBBEAN SEA – The Arleigh-Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99) arrived in the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations for a scheduled deployment, Feb. 15. Embarked with the ship is U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) 406 to conduct counter narcotic operations in the region.
Joint Interagency Task Force-South (JIATF-S), located in Key West, Fla., conducts counter illicit trafficking operations, delivering a high return on a modest investment. In 2022, JIATF-S enabled the disruption of a total of 260,431 kilograms of cocaine and 139,821 pounds of marijuana. JIATF-S also enabled 901 arrests through maritime, land, and air seizure operations.
“We are here to enhance security in the Western Hemisphere,” says Cmdr. Nicholas Gurley, commanding officer of the USS Farragut. “We aim to break the vicious circle of threats, through direct and indirect means, while building a more effective, efficient, and resilient team.”
U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet supports U.S. Southern Command’s joint and combined military operations by employing maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations to maintain access, enhance interoperability, and build enduring partnerships in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American region.
Source: Navy News
