US Army Says Farewell To OPBAT

Minister of National Security the Hon. Tommy Turnquest and Charge d' Affaires of the U.S. Embassy Dr. D. Brent Hardt, left, enjoy a laugh as they prepare for a ride in one of the D.E.A. 412 Bell helicopters during the OPBAT (Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos) George Town Change of Command ceremony on Monday at the Police Training College airfield. (BIS Photo/Tim Aylen)

Calling OPBAT one of the most successful international drug interdiction partnerships in the world, U.S. Embassy Charge d’Affaires Dr. D. Brent Hardt called the handover bittersweet as it marked the end of what he called a long and very productive partnership between the U.S. Army and OPBAT.

"Since 1986, the partnership between the United States Army and OPBAT has resulted in a total of 93,808 kilograms of cocaine and 1,430,900 pounds of marijuana seized with a U.S. street value of over $3 billion," Dr. Hardt said.

"In fact, OPBAT has proven to be one of the most successful and longest lasting operations of drug law enforcement anywhere in the world. As a result of the efforts of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the DEA, the Army, the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, we have turned the tide by reducing the cocaine flow through The Bahamas and U.S. from 70 percent in the early 1980s to 10 percent today."

According to Dr. Hardt, the move to transfer control of OPBAT and the base at Hawk’s Nest in Georgetown, Exuma to the DEA came as a result of the Army’s requirement to undertake other missions. That, according to Dr. Hardt, prompted an intensive focus on the mission and its importance, resulting in a reinvigorated inter-agency commitment to ensure the continuity of the OPBAT mission.

Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest also addressed the crowd of U.S. and Bahamian law enforcement officials. After thanking the U.S. government and its agencies, Minister Turnquest expressed The Bahamas government’s confidence that the transfer of OPBAT control from the U.S. Army to the DEA would be seamless and the success of the operation would continue.

"Drug abuse and illicit trafficking are grave and deleterious problems for societies in The Bahamas and the United States. OPBAT is reflective of our strong, interdependent partnership and commitment to allocate the necessary resources and assets to confront these problems.

"I say this bearing in mind that ours is a small island developing state with limited resources for which this fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking is a serious draw down on the national budget. We need, and we are pleased that we continue to receive the support of the United States in this regard, including in the provision of assets for the Royal Bahamas Defence Force," Minister Turnquest said.

OPBAT is a multi-agency international drug interdiction effort. It was initiated in 1983 with the objective being to stop the flow of illegal drugs from South America and the Caribbean through The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos to the United States.

Although the U.S. Army has pulled the three Blackhawk helicopters, the DEA has committed to provide the operation with three virtually brand new 412 Bell helicopters and an RU – 38 winged aircraft.

DEA and U.S. Department of Defense officials said the new resources will serve OPBAT’s needs even better.

"The DEA has always been the lead agency within OPBAT, and now, with the assumption of operations at Georgetown, it will take on an even larger role. The new DEA helicopters will continue to provide the 24-7 response time required to seamlessly continue operations in Georgetown," Dr. Hardt said.

"At the same time, the new fixed-wing aircraft will provide OPBAT with greater detection and monitoring capabilities, allowing for patrols of longer duration and greater distances."

Two of those helicopters are already in The Bahamas; the third helicopter and the aircraft are expected to arrive soon.