MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) -- Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (Light) (HSL) 44 Detachment 5, returned to their homeport in Mayport, May 2, after being deployed on USS Steven W. Groves (FFG-29) for a six-month counter-illicit trafficking (CNT) deployment.
Family members and loved ones celebrated HSL-44 Det. 5's return from their deployment with Groves and U.S. Coast Guard assets in the Eastern Pacific since October 2007.
While underway, HSL-44 Det. 5 helped hunt down and detain narco-traffickers in both open water and the littorals. Detachment 5's mission, led by Officer in Charge Lt. Cmdr. Scott Penland, is to use the unique capabilities of their SH-60B helicopter, Magnum 454, to prevent narco-traffickers from completing their shipments.
To date, Magnum 454 and Stephen W. Groves have chased down, disabled, and detained 17 narco-traffickers, interrupting the shipment of five metric tons of cocaine at estimated in-port market value of $350,000,000.
While deployed, HSL-44 Det. 5 and Stephen W. Groves were under the operational control of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, which is the naval component command to U.S. Southern Command. HSL-44 Det 5 and Stephen W. Groves conducted CNT operations for Joint Inter-Agency Task Force South.
