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This Fish Didn’t Get Away: SIGINT Aids Capture of Drug Smuggling Vessel

SUMMARY

A US/UK joint collection system at a Dutch Navy facility on the Island of Curaçao intercepted signals from drug smugglers referring to “law enforcement presence.” NSA/CSS Texas correlated the information and located the ship. A navy cruiser subsequently boarded it, apprehended the smugglers, and seized 9.03 metric tonnes of cocaine.

DOCUMENT’S DATE

Apr 26, 2006

PUBLICLY AVAILABLE

Aug 15, 2018

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Page 1 from This Fish Didn’t Get Away: SIGINT Aids Capture of Drug Smuggling Vessel
DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL (S//SI) This Fish Didn't Get Away: SIGINT Aids Capture of Drug Smuggling Vessel FROM: Corporate HF Services (S33112) Run Date: 04/26/2006 (S//SI) Joint US/UK collection system reveals the location of a vessel carrying a huge quantity of drugs. (S//SI) SIGINT recently played a major role in the capture of a smuggling vessel in the Caribbean that was carrying 211 bales of cocaine weighing 95 pounds each -- a total of 9.03 metric tons! (S//SI) The key SIGINT was intercepted with GLAIVE, a joint US-UK HF/VHF/UHF collection system. Specifically, a GLAIVE remote-collection system located at a Royal Dutch Navy facility on the island of Curacao intercepted transmissions from the drug-smuggling vessel Barracuda. Operators within the Naval Intelligence Operation Center at NSA/CSS Texas correlated the Barracuda intercepts with associated references of law enforcement presence to determine the location of the vessel, and to develop the overall tactical/situational picture. (U//FOUO) On the evening of 24 February, the Barracuda was boarded and seized by the Navy cruiser USS Gettysburg. The crew was apprehended and the Barracuda was subsequently sunk. (U) USS Gettysburg (S//SI) Project SUNBEAVER deployed GLAIVE to Curacao in May of last year. SUNBEAVER was a coordinated effort between 15 different organizations, to target Colombian narcotics trafficking. This is just one of many instances where SUNBEAVER is making a difference in narcotics interdiction. (S//SI) Shelter in Curacao where GLAIVE is stored (S//SI) GLAIVE collection system inside shelter (C) For more information on GLAIVE, see the SID today article " NSA and GCHQ Team Up to Tackle HF ." ...Or visit the Joint Programme webpage for further info. "(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)." DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108