Landmark international study on cocaine trafficking, organized crime in southern Caribbean published

A newly launched comprehensive study highlights the Caribbean’s growing significance as a key hub for international smuggling operations, marking a historic instance of global collaboration.

Titled “Criminal Networks and Routes from the Caribbean to Europe: A Deep-Dive into Cocaine Trafficking and Other Illicit Activities,” this research sheds light on the complex web of illegal trade routes connecting the Caribbean to European markets.

Led by the European Union-funded initiative EL PACCTO 2.0 and InSight Crime, the investigation incorporates strategic insights from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), the EU’s EMPACT program targeting major criminal networks, FRONTEX—the European border agency—and the General Prosecutor’s Office of France in Martinique.

This marks the first occasion where such a broad spectrum of international institutions has united to analyze and map the specific routes, operational methods, and multi-faceted criminal activities of illicit networks operating within the Caribbean region, says a CARICOM IMPACS release.

The report offers an exclusive overview of the Caribbean’s escalating role as a pivotal link in the global illegal supply chain, with a particular focus on the rising volume of narcotics heading toward Europe. Moving beyond conventional drug trafficking analysis, it emphasizes the “Southern Corridor,” specifically examining Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana as strategic regions in the global illicit trade network.

According to IMPACS, the study warns of a dangerous overlap where the same trafficking organizations responsible for moving cocaine into European ports are also involved in environmental crimes, arms smuggling, and sophisticated money laundering operations.

In addition, the report underscores significant vulnerabilities in maritime and digital domains, meticulously tracing a pipeline that begins at isolated Caribbean marinas and culminates in Europe’s large-scale container terminals. The group says that addressing these physical and cybersecurity gaps remains a challenge due to ongoing legal and resource limitations. Law enforcement agencies face difficulties navigating a fragmented legal landscape and lack the necessary assets to effectively patrol a maritime area that exceeds half the size of the European Union.

During the launch event held on March 2, 2026, at CARICOM IMPACS headquarters in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Lt. Col. Michael Jones, Executive Director of CARICOM IMPACS, emphasized the evolving complexity of this illicit landscape.

“For too long, our understanding of the illicit corridors connecting the Caribbean to Europe has been framed by fragments of data. Today, we change that narrative. We are moving from a posture of reactive defense to one of proactive, intelligence-led disruption. These networks do not merely move product, they erode the rule of law and destabilise our economies. This study is a tactical blueprint to identify the bottlenecks in criminal operations and unmask vessels of interest long before they reach our shores”, he stated.

Marc Reina Tortosa, Senior Executive Manager of EL PACCTO 2.0, provided a stark assessment of the shifting criminal landscape, highlighting the Caribbean’s role as a vital bridge between Latin American drug production centers and Europe’s expanding consumer markets.

“We are not seeing large, rigid cartels, but rather fluid, transactional networks where European and Western Balkan brokers act as the invisible architects of the trade. The Caribbean offers these traffickers unique diversification, when
maritime pressure increases, they pivot to aerial routes or riverine systems connecting the Amazon to the Atlantic”, he explained.

Tortosa further pointed out that the study reveals a recurring pattern driven as much by systemic corruption as by global demand.

“Furthermore, the polycriminal dimension is undeniable; in Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, drug trafficking intersects with environmental crimes such as illegal gold mining. Our response must move beyond rhetoric toward shared responsibility, addressing consumption and financial flows within Europe itself, as these are the forces destabilising communities thousands of kilometers away”, he added.

From a legal perspective, Patrice Camberou, Attorney General of the Court of Appeal in Fort-de-France, Martinique, discussed the specific challenges faced in prosecuting transnational crime within French Caribbean territories.

“We are navigating a complex judicial frontier where the EU’s borders exist physically within the heart of the Americas.
These criminal dynamics require a level of judicial cooperation that transcends traditional diplomatic channels. We must harmonise our prosecutorial strategies with our CARICOM and South American partners to ensure that no jurisdictional gap becomes a safe haven for transnational organised crime”,  he urged.

Evelina Melbarzde, Deputy Head of Mission at the European Union Delegation to Trinidad and Tobago, highlighted the importance of the study as a foundational document for joint efforts

“For the first time, European agencies like FRONTEX and EU-funded initiatives like EL PACCTO 2.0 have joined forces with CARICOM IMPACS and civil society to shed light on these dynamics. Our citizens expect tangible returns from the seizure of drugs, the confiscation of weapons, and the dismantling of networks that spread violence. With the new EMPACT 2026–2029 cycle, we are rising to these challenges, embedding the Caribbean into our security DNA”,  she stated.

The partners emphasized that the report should be viewed as a dynamic tool rather than a static conclusion, capable of evolving alongside the tactics of criminal organizations. To translate its insights into long-term security gains, they called for continuous funding to bolster maritime patrols and modernize port security infrastructure.

They also stressed the importance of seamless information sharing to dismantle jurisdictional silos between Caribbean and European authorities.

The release says that the overarching goal is to create a borderless cooperation model that matches the agility of criminal networks, supported by flexible legal and intelligence frameworks to ensure no territory remains a sanctuary for illicit activities.