The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), in partnership with the United States (US) Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) officially opened a critical five-day regional Firearms Trafficking Workshop on 8 June 2026, in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The initiative is designed to strengthen cross-border investigations, standardise gun data collection and disrupt the illicit flow of increasingly untraceable weapons in the Caribbean.

The workshop, which is being held at the Courtyard by Marriott, from 8 - 12 June 2026, brings together frontline law enforcement officials from across the Caribbean to enhance their intelligence-gathering capabilities and master the technical skills required to dismantle modern firearms trafficking networks.

In his welcome remarks, Lt. Col. Michael Jones, Executive Director, CARICOM IMPACS, presented sobering statistics on the heavy toll of gun violence in the Region, noting that while the Caribbean does not manufacture these weapons, illicit firearms drive almost 90% of the homicides in the most impacted Member States.

"The threat confronting our neighbourhoods has shifted. The days of tracking traditional, factory-stamped illicit weapons alone are behind us. Today, our law enforcement officers face an ecosystem of decentralised, tech-driven violence. The weapons making their way onto Caribbean streets are increasingly untraceable, modular and digitally sourced," he stated.

Delivering the keynote address, the Honourable Wayne Sturge, Minister of Defence, Trinidad and Tobago, reiterated the need for an aggressive, unified regional strategy to match the sophistication of modern criminal networks.

"The Caribbean is not facing a firearms problem. It is facing a firearms crisis. Problems can be managed incrementally, while crises demand a different quality of response. Criminal enterprises are moving faster, coordinating better and exploiting every operational and intelligence gap available to them. Ghost guns, 3D-printed weapons and encrypted logistics networks are active, evolving threats confronting agencies across the Caribbean Basin right now”, he lamented.

Mr. Michael Fitzpatrick, Chargé d’Affaires a.i., US Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago, reaffirmed the US’ unwavering commitment to standing on the frontlines of this fight with Caribbean partners, acknowledging that the majority of illegal firearms originate from international manufacturing hubs, including the US.

He highlighted tangible successes born from sustained intelligence sharing and technical expertise, including the 2021 interception of weapons concealed inside punching bags at a Trinidadian airport, which unravelled a syndicate that smuggled over 200 firearms from Florida, and the June 2025 federal sentencing of a dual citizen for weapons smuggling.

“Those operational successes required sustained intelligence sharing, technical expertise and the kind of trust that only comes from working side-by-side over time. This workshop is about operationalising what we know and ensuring that when the next shipment arrives, when the next network emerges, we are ready", Mr. Fitzpatrick explained.

Dr. Simone Titus, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Homeland Security, Trinidad and Tobago, noted that illegal firearms continue to pose one of the greatest threats to public safety throughout the Caribbean. She added that workshops like this provide valuable opportunities for officers and practitioners to strengthen partnerships, exchange knowledge and improve the tools available to combat firearms trafficking.

“I encourage all participants to take full advantage of the opportunities presented at this workshop. A secure Caribbean Region will lead to safer communities for the people we serve and love”, she urged.

Facilitated by a distinguished cohort of international, regional and local experts, including representatives from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the intensive five-day curriculum focuses on building hard operational capabilities rather than theoretical exercises.

Participants will be exposed to training geared towards identifying advanced firearm components smuggled piece-by-piece within commercial cargo, analysing the distinct import patterns of parts and polymers feeding the rise of locally manufactured 3D-printed weapons, and leveraging open-source and dark web intelligence to intercept illicit guns before they reach Caribbean shores.