The U.S. Navy, and naval forces of allied nations (Australia, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Spain), are holding training exercises in order to practice seizing illegal weapons, drugs and other materials being shipped by sea. The first exercise is being held this month in the Coral Sea, off northeastern Australia. Iran and North Korea have been caught moving illegal, or questionable, shipments by sea in the past. These exercises, which will work out any incompatibilities in procedures between the different fleets, make it easier to hunt down and grab any illegal shipments in the future.
