Operation CHABANEL

International Information

International Operation Name: Operation CHABANEL

International Mission Name: Operation CHABANEL

Mandating Organization: Government of Canada

Region Name: Africa

Mission Date: 10 April 2006 - 22 May 2006

Mission Mandate: To assist the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in intercepting a drug shipment in the South Atlantic

Canadian Forces (CF) Information (CHABANEL)

CF Mission/Operation Notes: The Canadian Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have a long history of joint participation in drug and contraband interdiction operations. Over the course of a year and a half, the RCMP developed the opportunity to intercept a shipment of drugs bound for North America. The CF was requested to assist in what would become Operation CHABANEL. 

On 10 April, HMCS Fredericton put to sea with RCMP officers embarked. Refueling at sea, the ship conducted a high speed transit to Dakar, Senegal, arriving on 18 April. The ship quickly refueled, sailed and met the RCMP-chartered vessel “Stalker” that would be involved in the operation. 

The Stalker would be undercover and meet a supplying ship off the west coast of Africa. The ship would then receive the drugs. HMCS Fredericton would act as command and logistics platform, as well as providing armed assistance if anything went wrong during the transfer. 

Delays forced the two ships to enter different ports to refuel, with HMCS Fredericton entering Tema, Ghana on 1 May. Different ports were chosen to maintain operational security. On 10 May after further delays caused by bad weather, the Stalker met the supply vessel - a problem-free transfer of the drugs, 22.5 tons of hashish, took place. The Stalker then headed towards HMCS Fredericton, and offloaded the drugs onto HMC Ship. 

With the transfer complete, HMCS Fredericton refueled at Dakar on 17 May and then conducted another high speed transit to allow the RCMP to continue the Canadian part of the operation. The ship arrived in Halifax harbour very late on 22 May, offloading the hashish. The RCMP then used the drugs in a sting operation on 2 June that resulted in the immediate arrest of three people.