EU envoy: Caribbean key cocaine corridor into Europe

The Caribbean has emerged as a primary corridor for cocaine and other illicit goods entering Europe, prompting renewed calls for stronger judicial cooperation to dismantle criminal networks exploiting the region’s strategic location, European Union Ambassador Fiona Ramsey has warned.

Addressing regional and international legal experts at the opening of a workshop on judicial cooperation between the Caribbean and the EU through EUROJUST Focal Points at Hotel Indigo on Wednesday, she said organised criminal groups were taking advantage of the Caribbean’s extensive maritime and air links to expand trafficking operations and other forms of transnational crime.

“One of the first areas where we see that such coordinated responses will no doubt be needed is combating illicit trafficking and the criminal networks that are using routes between the Caribbean to reach Europe.”

Ambassador Ramsey, the EU envoy to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean States, noted that while the Caribbean’s maritime and air connectivity support legitimate trade and economic activity, those same advantages are increasingly being used by organised criminal groups.

European Union Ambassador Fiona Ramsey. (Photo Credit: Shamar Blunt/Barbados TODAY)

“The Caribbean is now the key corridor for cocaine and other illicit goods entering into the European Union, and the consequences of inaction for both the Caribbean and Europe are severe.”

Ambassador Ramsey warned that illicit trafficking fuels violence, undermines governance and weakens the rule of law. She added that it also contributes to wider criminal activity, including money laundering, corruption and environmental crime, while exploiting vulnerable communities and creating cycles of insecurity.

“This is why judicial cooperation through the Eurojust contact points is essential. No country can dismantle these networks alone.”

The diplomat stressed that tackling trafficking requires sustained collaboration among countries, including intelligence sharing and coordinated investigations targeting entire criminal operations, from trafficking activities to the laundering of illegal proceeds.

Recent enforcement efforts had shown that traffickers were capable of rapidly adapting to operational pressure, she said, highlighting the need for a long-term and comprehensive response from judicial authorities.

Ambassador Ramsey also pointed to the increasing importance of maritime connectivity and security within the EU-Caribbean partnership. While enhanced links are expected to create significant economic opportunities, she cautioned that they could also open new avenues for criminal activity.

“This is why we have put aside funds to support port security and judicial cooperation as part of our broader security efforts to ensure that seizures lead also to successful prosecutions and convictions.”

She identified the detection, freezing and confiscation of criminal assets held in virtual currencies as another critical area for cooperation.

“Cryptocurrencies have transformed illicit financial flows, creating new challenges for both regions,” Ramsey said, noting that traffickers increasingly use pseudonymous transactions, privacy-enhancing technologies and decentralised financial platforms to conceal criminal profits.

She called for greater collaboration between Caribbean and European authorities, combining regional intelligence on trafficking networks with European expertise in digital investigations, blockchain analysis and asset recovery to better disrupt organised crime.

(SB)