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U.S. Law Enforcement Participate in Exercise Phoenix Express to Help Tackle Maritime Crime

Daniel Baldwin, Drug Enforcement Agency supervisory special agent and liaison to U.S. Africa Command, presents during the legal portion of the exercise Phoenix Express 2021 hosted by Tunisia from May 17-28, 2021. The session touched on tactics used by the U.S. agencies during smuggling seizures. Exercise Phoenix Express, conducted by U.S. Naval Forces Africa, is an at-sea maritime exercise designed to improve cooperation among participating nations in order to increase maritime safety and security in the Mediterranean.

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Photo by: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Daniel Charest 

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U.S. Law Enforcement Participate in Exercise Phoenix Express to Help Tackle Maritime Crime

Kyle Burns, Homeland Security Investigations supervisory special agent and senior liaison to U.S. Africa Command, presents during the legal portion of the exercise Phoenix Express 2021 hosted by Tunisia from May 17-28, 2021. The session touched on tactics used by the U.S. agencies during smuggling seizures. Exercise Phoenix Express, conducted by U.S. Naval Forces Africa, is an at-sea maritime exercise designed to improve cooperation among participating nations in order to increase maritime safety and security in the Mediterranean.

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Photo by: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Daniel Charest 

Law enforcement experts from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) conducted a subject matter expert exchange hosted by U.S. Africa Command in Bizerte, Tunisia during exercise Phoenix Express, May18, 2021.

Exercise Phoenix Express is one of three regional maritime exercises executed by U.S. Naval Forces Africa as part of a comprehensive strategy to provide collaborative opportunities amongst African forces and international partners in order to address maritime security concerns.

During their talks, interagency partners shared best practices as it related to key regional challenges such as illicit trafficking (human, arms, drug), piracy and maritime crime.  

“Our presentation touched on exactly what we, as U.S. law enforcement, are seeing in our criminal investigations,” said Kyle Burns, HSI supervisory special agent and senior liaison to U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM). “We provided information useful to our partnering nations because they will be the ones that will be boarding these ships while out at sea.”

Burns co-presented the session entitled “Maritime Smuggling Techniques, Trends, Threats, and Evidence Recovery” with Daniel Baldwin, DEA supervisory special agent and liaison to AFRICOM, where they shared tactics used by the U.S. agencies during smuggling seizures.

In North Africa, more than half of economic activity relies on safe and lawful use of the maritime domain, making maritime security and partnerships essential to economic development and sustainment. Exercises like Phoenix Express foster trust between participating nations by promoting mutual understanding and cooperation. These established and tested partnerships help overcome the challenges that threaten freedom and security on the world’s oceans.

“We need our partners to help with investigating international crimes,” said Baldwin. “Just like the Department of Defense, law enforcement can’t tackle these challenges on our own.”

The thirteen nations participating in PE21 are Algeria, Belgium, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Spain, Tunisia, and the United States.

The U.S. Navy remains operational during COVID-19, following all COVID-19 safety precautions and regulations.

U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.