Caribbean must stay united as criminal networks grow more sophisticated – RSS     

The Caribbean must adopt a more coordinated and united approach to combat transnational organised crime, Deputy Executive Director of the Regional Security System (RSS), Atlee Rodney, said on Wednesday, warning that criminal networks continue to operate across borders with increasing sophistication.

Addressing the 2026 Annual General Meeting and Steering Group Meeting of the Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network for the Caribbean (ARIN-CARIB), Rodney stressed that no single country can effectively tackle the growing threat alone.

“Criminal networks do not recognise borders and our responses must be equally coordinated, agile and united,” he said.

The meeting, held under the theme “From Tracing to Transformation: Building an Asset Recovery-Ready Caribbean,” brought together regional stakeholders to discuss strengthening cooperation in tracing, seizing and recovering the proceeds of crime.

Rodney said the fight against organised crime extends beyond confiscating illicit wealth, noting that effective asset recovery requires stronger institutions, modern legislation and greater investment in professional capacity.

“Asset recovery is about far more than identifying and confiscating illicit wealth. It is about strengthening institutions, modernising legislation, building professional capacity and ensuring that organised crime can no longer profit from its activities,” he said.

He outlined three key priorities for the region: strengthening legislative and policy frameworks to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated criminal enterprises, investing in the training of criminal justice practitioners, and deepening regional and international partnerships.

According to Rodney, the RSS has already trained more than 200 criminal justice practitioners through its Joint Investigation Team Network, significantly enhancing regional investigative cooperation. The organisation is also developing structured training programmes to further strengthen financial investigations and asset recovery efforts across the Caribbean.

Rodney said the region’s collective efforts are ultimately aimed at restoring public confidence, strengthening governance and ensuring that criminal proceeds are redirected for the benefit of citizens rather than criminal organisations.

“No member state can effectively combat transnational crime alone,” he said, urging continued collaboration among Caribbean nations to build a more resilient and asset recovery-ready region.