WILLEMSTAD – The Caribbean is facing increasing challenges from drug trafficking and organized crime due to record cocaine production in Colombia, which exceeded 2,600 tons in 2023. According to the latest Criminal Threats to the Caribbean in 2025 report by Insight Crime, the region’s proximity to Colombia and Venezuela makes it a prime target for traffickers seeking new smuggling routes.
New Smuggling Routes and Methods
With cocaine production up 53% from the previous year, drug cartels are expanding their trafficking methods to transport narcotics to Europe and the United States. While major container ports like Kingston (Jamaica) and San Juan (Puerto Rico) remain critical transit hubs, traffickers are increasingly using smaller boats, fishing vessels, and high-speed motorboats to move drugs to Caribbean islands. Once there, the shipments are concealed in containers before being sent abroad.
So far in 2024, authorities have intercepted record amounts of cocaine in the Caribbean. In Martinique, nearly 11 tons of cocaine were seized from a fishing vessel with an international crew. The Dominican Republic also reported its largest-ever drug bust, confiscating over 9.5 tons of cocaine.
Corruption and Drug Trafficking via Airports
The report highlights corruption among customs personnel as a key enabler for drug trafficking through ports and airports. Some Caribbean nations, like Trinidad and Tobago, have introduced enhanced security measures, including additional scanners, but the scale of drug trafficking remains substantial.
In addition to maritime smuggling, commercial flights from Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao to the Netherlands and from Jamaica to the United Kingdom are increasingly being exploited by drug traffickers.
While Colombia remains the largest producer of cocaine, cultivation of coca plants is also on the rise in Honduras, Guatemala, and Venezuela. Though these countries have not yet reached Colombia’s industrial-level production, their growing involvement is increasing pressure on the Caribbean as a major transit zone.
A police spokesperson from Saint Lucia noted that 75% of all drugs trafficked through the Eastern Caribbean pass through the island, with most shipments originating from Colombia and Venezuela before being transported to Europe.
"The vast amount of cocaine coming from South America is pushing criminal networks to explore new routes and expand into new areas within the region," the report states.
About Insight Crime
Insight Crime is an internationally recognized research platform specializing in organized crime analysis in Latin America and the Caribbean. The organization collaborates with local experts, academics, and governments to provide in-depth reports on criminal trends and regional security. Its findings are widely used by policymakers, researchers, and media outlets to understand the operations of criminal networks and their impact on security, politics, and the economy.
As drug trafficking routes shift, Caribbean nations, including Curaçao, remain on high alert for the evolving threats posed by organized crime.
