PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Aug 14, CMC – The Trinidad-based Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), Friday said that it has successfully completed “Operation Eclipse” resulting in the seizure of an estimated US$54.5 million in illicit assets and contraband.
IMPACS said that Operation Eclipse was undertaken in collaboration with regional and international partners including the United States’ (US) Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) during the month of May.
The month long operation also combined the regional forces of the 14 CARICOM member states, seven associate members, as well as key international allies, including Canada, Colombia, France, the United Kingdom (UK), US and the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) to dismantle transnational trafficking networks across the Caribbean region.
It said that the intensive, intelligence-led maritime operation had disrupted multi-jurisdictional smuggling loops and stripped transnational organised criminal groups (OCGs) of millions of dollars.
“Operation Eclipse proves that when our countries and partners pool their intelligence and operational capabilities, we can effectively dismantle the financial engines driving transnational crime,” said Lt. Col. Michael Jones, the CARICOM IMPACS executive director, emphasising that regional unity was the ultimate weapon against sophisticated criminal syndicates
“This multimillion-dollar disruption sends a definitive message to illicit networks that the Caribbean Sea is not a safe haven for criminal enterprise. We are not just seizing contraband, we are actively securing our communities, protecting our youth and building a fortified, intelligence-led defence system across the entire region”, he added.
A State Department official noted that “INL recognises that our shared security challenges mean that Caribbean security is American security. Collaborative regional efforts like Operation Eclipse demonstrate the effectiveness of strong information sharing, which leads to coordinated interdiction and enforcement actions, and ensures that transnational criminal organisations are not able to benefit from their illicit activities”.
CARICOM IMPACS said Operation Eclipse tracked maritime threats in real time by coordinating through a central fusion cell established at CARICOM IMPACS’ Joint Regional Communications Centre (JRCC).
It said the four-week interdiction phase yielded substantial results with authorities generating 82 active intelligence cases, monitoring 59 distinct vessels of interest, processing 17 critical intelligence reports and executing 24 successful seizure operations.
According to CARICOM IMPACS, 5,222.59 kg of cocaine worth over US$44 million and 1,848 kg of marijuana worth over US$6.84 million had been seized from go-fast boats, yachts and inter-island cargo ships.
It also confiscated over 6,100 cases of illegal alcohol, 191 cartons of cigarettes and 22 cylinders of banned refrigerant gas, with a combined value of over US$1.58 million, while interdiction teams seized two firearms along with 65 rounds of ammunition, as well as 13 vessels and three vehicles utilised by smuggling networks.
The authorities said that they had also intercepted 59 irregular migrants moving through multi-point transit routes across air and sea corridors.
“Contraband smuggling constituted the highest volume of activity, accounting for 32.9 per cent of active maritime cases, with cocaine trafficking following closely at 23.2 per cent. Enforcement efforts targeted the Eastern Caribbean, Guyanese waters and transatlantic routes.”
CARICOM IMPACS said intelligence also revealed a growing trend of clandestine aircraft dropping narcotics near borders for maritime pickup, which was tracked and disrupted using partner technology.
It said biometric and document verification across the 99 records processed aboard intercepted vessels revealed an extensive international network, with the majority of individuals originating from Canada, China, Cuba and Syria.
In addition to financial disruption, Operation Eclipse validated and refined the application of critical maritime frameworks, including the Treaty of San José and bilateral Shiprider agreements.
Establishing CARICOM IMPACS as the principal regional centre for maritime domain awareness created an adaptable template for future joint security efforts,” the statement said, adding that participating countries are now utilising the intelligence gathered during the post-operational review to shape long-term border policies and target persistent illicit networks in the Caribbean.
CMC/ah/ir/2026