The U.S. Embassy to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean, and the OECS, through its Military Liaison Office, conducted a professional exchange with the Royal Grenada Coast Guard on vessel boarding and search-and-seizure techniques from August 14-18, 2017.

United States Marine Forces South (MARFORSOUTH) and the Royal Grenada Coast Guard joined forces to conduct a professional exchange, which shared strategies and best practices used to interdict illicit trafficking. The goal of the exchange was to prepare the Royal Grenada Coast Guard to readily deploy and conduct proper search-and-seizure operations, as well as gather evidence leading to trafficking prosecutions.

Topics covered during the exchange included proper search-and-seizure procedures; suspect detention; locating, handling and transferring evidence to local authorities; crime scene investigation; and incident response.

U.S. Ambassador to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean, and the OECS Linda Taglialatela commented, “The U.S. Embassy is committed to strengthening the capacity of our regional security forces, and we remain committed to supporting professional exchanges such as these. This exchange was intended to enhance military skills and interoperability between the United States and Grenada.”