![\"safeboat-5\"](\"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/safeboat-5.jpg\")
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On Thursday, February 18, U.S. Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires a.i. Lisa Johnson and Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage participated in the formal handover of two new police interceptor vessels built by Safeboats International for the Royal Bahamas Police Force\u2019s (RBPF) Marine Support Services Unit.<\/p>\n
The U.S. Embassy\u2019s International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) Section donated the vessels to increase the RBPF\u2019s capacity to participate in end-game interdiction operations under Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos (OPBAT).\u00a0 The two new vessels are destined for George Town, Exuma and Matthew Town, Great Inagua.<\/p>\n
Other officials in attendance included Minister of State for National Security Keith Bell, RBPF Commissioner Ellison Greenslade, and SafeBoats International Director of Business and Development in Latin America & the Caribbean, John Hotz.<\/p>\n
![\"safeboat-1\"](\"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/safeboat-1.jpg\")
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In her remarks, Charg\u00e9 Johnson highlighted that the United States and The Bahamas have a longstanding history of counternarcotics cooperation under OPBAT, adding that the U.S. Embassy was proud to continue to support RBPF participation in OPBAT with resources provided through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe expect that these vessels will build further on OPBAT\u2019s already solid track record of seizing illicit narcotics,\u201d the Charge said, adding that joint U.S.-Bahamian work in countering trafficking continued to produce tangible results.\u00a0 \u201cIn 2015, OPBAT operations in The Bahamas led to the seizure of 637 kilograms of cocaine and 26.6 metric tons of marijuana, including over 17,000 marijuana plants, and resulted in the arrest of 76 drug traffickers.\u201d<\/p>\n
With two more vessels deployed, the Charg\u00e9 said she hoped to hear about additional record breaking interdictions, including in maritime operations in and around Exuma and Inagua.<\/p>\n
The U.S. Embassy\u2019s INL Section also has provided ancillary equipment, such as boat lifts, trucks, and trailers, to support the safety and maintenance of the vessels, and has scheduled operator and maintenance training to promote sustainability in the deployment of and care for the vessels.<\/p>\n
U.S. Embassy, Nassau<\/p>\n
![\"safeboat-4\"](\"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/safeboat-4.jpg\")
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Captions:<\/em> U.S. Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires a.i. Lisa Johnson and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security Mr. Carl Smith participate in the official signing ceremony for the Safeboat handover as Minister of National Security, The Hon. Dr. Bernard Nottage, RBPF Commissioner Ellison Greenslade and the U.S. Embassy\u2019s INL Director Kristin Gilmore look on.<\/em> On Thursday, February 18, U.S. Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires a.i. Lisa Johnson and Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage participated in the formal handover of two…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":146023,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_10223285771444175_51037792744":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[204,15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-146020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-tech"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146020","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=146020"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146020\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/146023"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=146020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=146020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=146020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nU.S. and Bahamian officials tour Nassau harbor onboard one of the 410 Apostle Interceptor police vessels.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\u00a0<\/em>
\nU.S. Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires a.i. Lisa Johnson and the Minister of National Security, The Hon. Dr. Bernard Nottage engage RBPF Marine Unit Officers onboard one of the Interceptor vessels.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"