SEA KING HELPS NAB GROW OPERATIONS

443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron lived up to their motto "Our Sting is
Death" as they supported the RCMP in seizing tens of thousands of
marijuana plants in August.

Three Sea King helicopters joined a team of law enforcement officers
from the RCMP, and Saanich and Victoria police departments who were
working to locate and destroy marijuana plantations on Vancouver Island.

The Canadian Forces participation in the annual RCMP
marijuana-eradication program - called Operation SABOT within the
military - involves the provision of CF helicopters as observation
platforms and transportation for RCMP teams hunting for grow sites.

"Sea Kings are used to flying into complex areas and difficult
terrain," said Commander Roderick Hughes, Deputy Chief of Staff,
Operational Readiness, Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters. "Our air
personnel are very well trained and the aircraft can carry police
personnel working to find and destroy narcotics." The operation is one
example of cooperation between the CF and other government departments
to maximize their unique expertise and equipment.

Capable of flying day or night, the Sea King is a versatile
surveillance aircraft. While its main mission is to fly from ships to
conduct surface surveillance and anti-submarine warfare, the Sea King
also contributes to search and rescue operations, disaster relief,
counter-narcotic operations, and fisheries and pollution patrols.

"There may be other commercial aircraft out there with the same
capacity as the Sea King, but it is highly unlikely that the personnel
are trained to the same extent and specializations of CF personnel,"
says Cdr Hughes. "The CF has certain inherent capabilities because of
the nature of our work that allows us to participate in operations
like Operation Sabot. In short, we can supply a larger, capable
aircraft with a highly trained crew."

CF support to counter-drug operations such as Operation Sabot have
historically been highly successful. To date, this year's Operation
Sabot exceeded last year's total with more than 16,500 plants seized.

"Few Canadian families have not been affected by drugs," said Cdr
Hughes. "The whole thing around the drug operation is the eradication
of cash crops that fuel organized crime."

Operation Sabot has added value to the CF in that it is an "excellent
training opportunity for CF aircrew," says Cdr Hughes. But CF
personnel are not the only ones to receive valuable training. The
integrated team of law enforcement officers spent a day at 19 Wing
Comox where they went through training specific to the Sea King.

"Any time the CF partners with a law enforcement agency, the
relationship is sure to benefit future domestic operations," says Cdr
Hughes.