Indo-Pacific nations embrace U.N. exercises to fight maritime crime

TRINCOMALEE, Sri Lanka -- Indo-Pacific countries are joining a training initiative to fight organized crime in the Indian Ocean, working to bolster maritime security capabilities with an eye on both smugglers and China's growing assertiveness in the waters.

During a recent drill, Sri Lankan military personnel boarded a smuggling ship near Trincomalee, which is home to a naval base. They used X-ray and other equipment to quickly find drugs hidden in the bottom of the ship and subdued the crew in about five minutes.