Marines and Sailors from 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion conduct an operation near the Afghan - Pakistan border to interdict the Taliban Narcotics Trade.

Footage recorded by Marine SSgt Jeremy Ross captures key moments during Operation Rawhide II, which took place in March of 2011. The purpose of the operation was to shut down a key Taliban narcotics trade hub that was notorious for smuggling not only narcotics out of Afghanistan, but also weapons and fighters from Pakistan back into Afghanistan, leading up to each spring offensive. The intent was to shut down the Taliban's ability to not only fund their operations in the Helmand Province, but also to inhibit their ability to move weapons and Taliban fighters into the region before the fighting season.