(intro music) 

- [Rich] Hello listeners, and welcome to the United States Southern Command's inaugural podcast. My

name is Rich Crusan and today we're speaking with Rear Admiral Larry D. Watkins, Joint Planning Group

lead for Counter Transnational Criminal Organizations and The Director of Operations, United States

Southern Command.

Today's topic is going to be; Enhanced Counter-narcotics Operations. Hello Sir and welcome to the 

SOUTHCOM podcast. - [Larry] Good day Rich. I'm delighted to be here to discuss this topic. –

[Rich] Sir, before we jump right into today's topic, can you tell us how long you've been here at 

SOUTHCOM? Describe maybe some of your past experiences and then your responsibilities in your 

current role here at SOUTHCOM. 

- [Larry] Absolutely Rich. But before I get started, I always like to take a moment to recognize we remain

a nation at war with combat and forward deployed troops around the world. I want to thank those

service members and their families for serving, and it's an honor to serve alongside with them. I've been

here at SOUTHCOM just over a year or so. I reported last July. This is my second tour of duty here. I was

here, a mobilized reservist right after nine 11 back in September, 2001. I reported back in December.

I've been in the Navy almost 30 years, so I've been fortunate to see the world and work with our other

services outside the Navy and inter-agency partners.

- [Rich] Sir, thank you for those 30 years of service. Much appreciated, I'm sure the country's very

thankful as well. So today's topic is Enhanced Counter-narcotics Operations. Can you tell us what this

operation is about?

- [Larry] Yes, sure. First and foremost, it's about saving lives and defending the United States from

Narco-trafficking. Narco-trafficking is a $90 billion-years enterprise in the hemisphere. It's principally

fueled by cocaine and other illicit commodities. These Transnational Criminal Organizations take

advantage of young democracies, weak institutions and other nations, as do other nation state actors

without democratic values to undermine the rule of law and conduct illicit activities. Recognizing these

complex challenges in our neighborhood, Secretary of Defense approved an increase in our military

presence which was announced by the president back on April 1st. This increase included ships, aircraft

and security forces to reassure our partners, improve US and partner readiness, as well as

interoperability, to counter a range of threats to include Narco-terrorism.

- [Rich] With all those added assets Sir, can you say that this operation to date has been successful? -

[Larry] It's an ongoing operation so I wouldn't say, it's a bit early to determine success overall but we

have kept pressure on these networks; these Transnational Criminal Organizations and prevented them

from freedom maneuver. We've seen some success, not just simply in our interdictions and disruptions,

but more importantly in our partnerships and with regards to interoperability and collaboration. 20 of

our partners, over 20 of them have conducted over 60% of the interdictions with us. They continue to

stay engaged and stay on the field despite the challenges of COVID. As of this week, the operation has

disrupted almost 179 metric tons of cocaine with our partners, we've seized almost 50,000 pounds of

marijuana, detained over 370 drug smugglers and denied an estimated $4.8 billion in profits to these

Transnational Criminal Organizations. And most importantly, we've saved almost over 1800 US lives.

SOUTHCOM's Podcast Transcript

Episode 1 : Enhanced Counter Narcotics Operations

October 1, 2020
- [Rich] So working with our partners, that sounds like a very good over all effort for the area of

operations for SOUTHCOM to have so many partners involved. Sir, not just working with the partners

though, has the enhanced military presence changed anything? Has the change of additional assets or

more personnel? Has it really? What has it really changed?

- [Larry] It's really, understand, this was an all-domain effort and when we say domains, we talk about

the land, the air, the sea, or maritime as well as working with our inter-agency partners and our

international partners. So, I would say yes, this effort has definitely changed the way we go after the

problem set, and I think we've been successful in building bonds across all of our whole of government

efforts to get after this threat.

- [Rich] Sir, can you describe; you've mentioned some types of the activities, but can you describe more

specifically about the activities of the operation, about the use of the ships, about, you know, use of any

sort of surveillance or the ground operations, any of the training maybe, or the advising that's going on?

- [Larry] When we talk about the operation like I said, it's in all those domains and really though, what

we look at in the DOD specifically, is the detection and monitoring aspect that we support our law

enforcement inter-agency partners who actually have the interdiction and apprehension aspect of the

operation so we support them through the US Navy, with Coast Guard, LEDETs or Law Enforcement

Detachments on board that do the actual interdictions. And right now we're working too with our

partners in the land domain, the inter-agency partners, as well as our international partners to impact

Transnational Criminal Organizations within the what we call the 'Source Zone' where the cocaine is

typically produced.

- [Rich] So as we look at the operation too, were there any specified key objectives of the operation?

Specific outcomes SOUTHCOM is trying to achieve? An increase in seizures or possibly slow down of

drug flow?

- [Larry] Absolutely. The intent is to do all that; reduce the flow of illicit drugs into our country, degrade

these Transnational Criminal Organizations and continue to strengthen partnerships with our partner

nations and inter-agency partners. Our desired end-state is really to maintain our neighborhood of

shared values, the opportunity for security, freedom, and prosperity throughout the Western

Hemisphere.

- [Rich] Sir, that's very informative. I appreciate you taking the time out to come and talk to us in this

inaugural podcast. I know I'm not sure if there's an end date to what we're doing in this operation, but

I'd love to have you back, potentially maybe in a couple months, just to see again where the progress is

and the successes that have come out of this operation, if you're willing to do that?

- [Larry] Absolutely, and this operation is ongoing and it's going to be our steady state. I will say thanks

for having me, in addition to remember, SOUTHCOM is making a difference in this hemisphere, and our

Enhanced Counter-narcotics mission directly impacts national security and contributes to the US as well

as regional security, and saves lives both in the US and abroad.

- [Rich] Sir, I really want to thank you for spending time with me today on this inaugural podcast, it's

been a pleasure speaking with you today.
- [Larry] It's been pleasure to be here Rich, and once again thanks again to our forward deployed troops

and forces along with their families. - [Rich] Yes Sir-- - [Larry] May God bless.

- [Rich] God bless. (outro music)

Podcast Available on: https://www.southcom.mil/SOUTHCOM-Podcast/