MANAMA, Bahrain – One of Combined Maritime Forces’ three task forces has seized a record amount of illegal drugs in 2021, which included narcotics confiscated during eight successful interdictions in the Indian Ocean last month.

Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 has seized more than $189 million worth of illegal drugs (at regional wholesale prices) during counter-narcotics operations at sea in 2021. The drugs seized this year have a higher total value than the amount of drugs the task force interdicted in the previous four years combined.

CTF 150 successfully seized and destroyed 6,550 kilograms of heroin, 4,052 kilograms of methamphetamine and 56,834 kilograms of hashish so far this year, equating to over three times more methamphetamine than in any other year since 2016, and the largest amount of heroin since the task force’s establishment in 2002.

The multinational partnership conducts maritime security and counter-terrorism operations at sea, outside the Arabian Gulf, to disrupt criminal and terrorist organizations and their related illicit activities, including the movement of personnel, weapons, narcotics and charcoal. These efforts help ensure legitimate commercial shipping transits the region free from non-state threats.

In November, eight interdictions in the Indian Ocean led to the seizure of 975 kilograms of heroin, 523 kilograms of methamphetamine and 4,244 kilograms of hashish with a combined value of $26 million, preventing these funds from potentially reaching those with links to terrorist and criminal organizations.

“This has been an inclusive effort by personnel, ships, helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles from Combined Maritime Forces that demonstrates our partnership is strong, capable and ready,” said Royal New Zealand Navy Capt. Brendon Clark, commander of CTF 150.

Combined Maritime Forces is a multinational naval partnership of 34 nations that includes three task forces. It exists to uphold rules-based international order by countering illicit non-state actors on the high seas and promoting security, stability, and prosperity across approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters encompassing some of the world’s most important shipping lanes.

The Royal New Zealand Navy assumed command of CTF 150 in July 2021.