Targeting 25 crime groups...

T&T, US unite against criminal networks

Trinidad and Tobago has become the first nation in the Shield of the Americas coalition to join the United States in designating 25 criminal organizations as foreign terrorist organizations. United States’ Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Juan Pablo Segura, in a social media post yesterday, commended this country for its decision in the fight against narcoterrorism.

“Another major step forward for the Shield of the Americas! We commend Trinidad and Tobago for being the first Shield of the Americas nation to join the United States in designating 25 criminal organisations as foreign terrorist organisations. This historic step significantly advances our shared mission to confront the scourge of narcoterrorism poisoning our communities,” Seguro said.

Last Tuesday, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar attended the Shield of the Americas meeting where she engaged directly with US President Donald Trump and other regional leaders to align on security measures. She also addressed the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, where she said the country would use its upcoming 2027-2028 term on the UN Security Council to push for stronger international cooperation against transnational organized crime. Persad-Bissessar said criminal networks operating across borders posed particular challenges for small states, with Trinidad and Tobago facing direct consequences through gang violence, drug trafficking and the movement of illicit weapons and money. She said restoring security had been a central priority of her administration and pointed to increased cooperation with the United States and other international partners to target criminal syndicates.