Canada’s HMCS Yellowknife has begun a seven-week deployment in the Caribbean Sea as part of Operation Caribbe. The operation is Canada’s contribution to multinational efforts, led by the United States, to counter narcotics trafficking in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, and to bolster security in the region.
The mission for the Yellowknife, a Kingston-class maritime coastal defense vessel, is to disrupt illicit trafficking at sea through boarding and interdiction operations while working with partner-nation vessels and maritime patrol aircraft. Crew members have honed their skills at exercises simulating real-world scenarios and emphasizing interoperability with nations in the region. Canada’s seizure of illicit narcotics prevents them from entering or transiting through North American countries, including Canada and the United States.
“Canada’s contribution to Operation CARIBBE underscores our strong commitment to working alongside regional partners to combat the flow of dangerous narcotics throughout the Americas,” Rear Adm. Josée Kurtz, commander of Maritime Forces Atlantic and Joint Task Force Atlantic, said in a National Defence Department news release. “The deployment of His Majesty’s Canadian Ship Yellowknife demonstrates our nation’s resolve to this mission, reinforcing collaboration with allies to disrupt illicit networks and enhance security across the region.”
The Yellowknife set sail from Halifax, Nova Scotia, on January 21, 2026, and arrived on January 27 at the U.S. Coast Guard base in Miami. There, the crew was to receive operational briefings and embark a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, the team that conducts boardings of vessels of interest. The Yellowknife departed Miami on January 29. As a maritime coastal defense vessel, the Yellowknife is designed for both surveillance and patrolling coastal waters.
“The crew of His Majesty’s Canadian Ship Yellowknife is proud to represent Canada on this mission and contribute to a safer maritime environment,” Lt. Cmdr. Jeffrey Smith, commanding officer of the Yellowknife, said in the news release. “Having recently returned from Operation REASSURANCE, Yellowknife is ready to work in close coordination with partner nations to detect and interdict vessels engaged in illegal trafficking. This deployment is an opportunity to apply our skills again while making a real difference in reducing the harmful impacts of the drug trade.”
Since the beginning of Operation Caribbe in 2006, Canada has contributed to the disruption or seizure of more than 123 metric tons of cocaine. In 2025 alone, the HMCS Harry DeWolf and the HMCS William Hall interdicted more than 2.2 metric tons of cocaine as part of the operation. Operation Caribbe is unrelated to other U.S. operations in the region.
“Our crew is motivated, capable, and ready to get to work,” a post from the HMCS Yellowknife’s official Facebook page said on January 30. “We’ll be sharing regular updates on our activities down south as the deployment unfolds!” The Yellowknife is scheduled to be decommissioned later in 2026.