US Office of National Drug Control Policy Deputy Director for Supply Reduction Marilyn Quagliotti presented the United States Interdiction Coordinator (USIC) Award to Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) Thursday.
Deputy Director Quagliotti, who serves as the U. S. Interdiction Coordinator (USIC), said:
Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos is an outstanding example of a partnership which employs existing capabilities to meet a wide range of demands.
The sustained dedication, motivation and superior performance of OPBAT personnel have directly contributed to disrupting the conveyance of illicit narcotics and denying a significant percentage of the critical stream of revenue used to support transnational criminal organizations, insurgencies and terrorism.
OBAT is a multi-agency, international drug interdiction effort focused primarily on stemming the flow of illicit drugs from South America and the Caribbean to the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the United States.
In 2013, OPBAT prosecuted 428 separate law enforcement cases, seized $32,057,774 worth of marijuana, and interdicted more cocaine than in the past three years combined. Additionally, OPBAT arrested 154 narco-traffickers during law enforcement operations in 2013, and continues to deter drug trafficking groups from using the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos for cocaine transportation.
The USIC oversees U.S. programs and activities involved in achieving the supply reduction goals of the National Drug Control Strategy. The USIC also ensures that sufficient resources are provided by Federal drug program agencies for interdiction and that their use is properly integrated and optimized. The Awards recognize significant contributions to the continuing effort to counter the threats posed by the trafficking of narcotics and other illicit substances.
Press release, Image: USCG