U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) plays a critical role in safeguarding the United States against security threats through aviation and maritime law enforcement expertise, innovative capabilities, and partnerships. With a large team of federal agents and mission support personnel, as well as hundreds of aircraft and marine vessels, AMO serves as the nation’s experts in airborne and maritime law enforcement. Recently, AMO completed its strategic goal of standardizing and modernizing its aviation fleet with the delivery of the 29th and final Multi-Role Enforcement Aircraft (MEA) in the Maritime and Air Interdiction configuration. MEAs have already played a key role in apprehending individuals and seizing illegal drugs, including cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine. The MEA replaces Piper PA-42 aircraft and will eventually replace King Air C-12C and B-200 aircraft currently in inventory, enabling further streamlining of AMO crew interoperability and maintenance programming. AMO’s enforcement actions in Fiscal Year 2022 resulted in 967 arrests and 134,981 apprehensions of undocumented individuals, as well as the seizure or disruption of significant amounts of illegal drugs, weapons, and money.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) recently received its 29th Multi-Role Enforcement Aircraft (MEA) in the Maritime and Air Interdiction configuration, marking the completion of its strategic goal to standardize and modernize its aviation fleet. The MEA is a medium-range, fixed-wing, twin turboprop aircraft used for conducting aerial patrol and surveillance over land and water, and for enforcement relocation of personnel and equipment.
Since 2011, MEA aircrews have worked with law enforcement partners to apprehend 13,003 people and seize significant amounts of illegal drugs, including 146,605 pounds of cocaine, 195 pounds of fentanyl, 131 pounds of heroin, 583,977 pounds of marijuana, and 6,640 pounds of methamphetamine. Additionally, the MEA has contributed to the seizure of $5.48 million USD, 169 vehicles, 283 vessels, and 109 weapons.
The MEA replaces Piper PA-42 aircraft and will eventually replace King Air C-12C and B-200 aircraft currently in inventory. Its state-of-the-art sensor equipment enables detection, tracking, and surveillance operations with standoff capability to avoid counter-detection. The MEA also boasts a reconfigurable cabin that can be rapidly adapted to carry cargo and personnel.
Jonathan Miller, Executive Director of AMO Operations, expressed pride in the team of mission support, operations, and contract personnel who worked tirelessly to make this milestone possible. With the MEA fleet in place, AMO will be able to further streamline its crew interoperability and maintenance programming, which will help enhance its Homeland Security operations.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) has a critical mission to safeguard the nation by anticipating and confronting security threats through aviation and maritime law enforcement expertise, innovative capabilities, and partnerships. With approximately 1,800 federal agents and mission support personnel, 240 aircraft, and 300 marine vessels operating throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands, AMO serves as the nation’s experts in airborne and maritime law enforcement.
In Fiscal Year 2022, AMO reported 967 arrests and 134,981 apprehensions of undocumented individuals. AMO enforcement actions also led to the seizure or disruption of 250,616 pounds of cocaine, 1,475 pounds of fentanyl, 25,625 pounds of methamphetamine, 1,342 weapons, and $21.7 million.
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