From 16 to 19 September 2025, law enforcement and customs officials from Barbados and Grenada took part in a training course aimed at tackling illicit firearms trafficking in the Caribbean. Hosted virtually, the Combating Trafficking in Arms and Ammunition (CTAM) course, organized by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), brought together 48 participants from both States, marking a significant step in the region’s fight against the illicit trafficking of firearms and ammunition.
The course is part of a broader initiative funded by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the United States of America. The training is aligned with key international frameworks, including the 2001 UN Programme of Action on Small Arms, the Arms Trade Treaty and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The course unfolded in two phases: the first phase, from 16 to 17 September 2025 involved thirty (30) officials from The Barbados Police Service and the Barbados Defence Force. This course was organized in collaboration with the Office of the Prime Minister – National Security Department and the Office of the Attorney General – The Police Department.
The second phase, from 18 to 19 September 2025, included eighteen (18) participants from the Royal Grenada Police Force and the Grenda Customs and Excise Department. The training was conducted in collaboration with key local institutions such as Grenada’s Ministry of National Security, Home Affairs, Public Administration, Information and Disaster Management and the Royal Grenada Police Force.
The course aimed to equip national authorities with the knowledge and technical tools necessary to implement strategies to prevent and combat illicit trafficking in firearms and ammunition in accordance with international instruments. In this regard, an overview of trafficking trends in Latin America and the Caribbean was presented, as well as the methods used for the illicit manufacture and trafficking in firearms including privately manufactured firearms in the region.
Experts also examined the role of control systems and the documentation of international transfers of firearms and ammunition to prevent and combat trafficking. The course included presentations by The Barbados Police Service, the Royal Grenada Police Force and United Nations subject matter experts. They focused on firearms trafficking trends, the licensing and importation/exportation of firearms, parts, components and accessories in both countries.
This course contributes towards regional efforts to prevent the illicit trafficking of firearms and ammunition, thereby reducing firearms-related crimes and armed violence in the Caribbean. It also supports the implementation of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap, a regional umbrella framework adopted by CARICOM States and the Dominican Republic in 2020, in which States commit themselves to implement actions against illicit firearms trafficking and make the Caribbean a safer region.