How to measure organized crime?
A series of 13 discussion papers, one for each illicit market considered during the development of the Index.
Read more on globalinitiative.netCriminal markets
2.67-0.18
An assessment of the value, prevalence and non-monetary impacts of a specific crime type.
Human trafficking
2.000.00
Illicit activity involving coercion, deception, abduction or fraud for the purpose of exploitation, regardless of the victim’s consent.
Human smuggling
2.501.50
Activities by an organized crime group involving the illegal entry, transit or residence of migrants for a financial or material benefit.
Extortion & protection racketeering
1.00 n/a
Crimes linked to exerting control over a territory/market including as a mediator and/or requesting a benefit in exchange for protection.
Arms trafficking
3.000.00
The sale, acquisition, movement, and diversion of arms, their parts and ammunition from legal to illegal commerce and/or across borders.
Trade in counterfeit goods
1.00 n/a
The production, transport, storage and sale of goods that are fraudulently mislabeled or fraudulent imitations of registered brands.
Illicit trade in excisable goods
1.00 n/a
The illicit transport, handling and sale of excise consumer goods despite a ban or outside a legal market. Excludes oil and counterfeits.
Flora crimes
2.001.00
The illicit trade and possession of species covered by CITES convention, and other species protected under national law.
Fauna crimes
2.500.00
The poaching, illicit trade in and possession of species covered by CITES and other species protected by national law. Includes IUU fishing.
Non-renewable resource crimes
3.500.50
The illicit extraction, smuggling, mingling, bunkering or mining of natural resources and the illicit trade of such commodities.
Heroin trade
1.000.00
The production, distribution and sale of heroin. Consumption of the drug is considered in determining the reach of the criminal market.
Cocaine trade
6.00-0.50
The production, distribution and sale of cocaine and its derivatives. Consumption is considered in determining the reach of the market.
Cannabis trade
7.000.00
The illicit cultivation, distribution and sale of cannabis oil, resin, herb or leaves. Consumption is used to determine the market's reach.
Synthetic drug trade
1.500.00
The production, distribution and sale of synthetic drugs. Consumption is considered in determining the reach of the market.
Cyber-dependent crimes
3.00 n/a
Organized crimes that rely solely on using information communications technology with the aim of obtaining a monetary/material benefit.
Financial crimes
3.00 n/a
Organized crime that results in a monetary loss via financial fraud, embezzlement, misuse of funds, tax evasion and abusive tax avoidance.
Criminal actors
3.20-0.05
An assessment of the impact and influence of a specific criminal actor type on society.
Mafia-style groups
2.00-2.00
Clearly defined organized crime groups that usually have a known name, defined leadership, territorial control and identifiable membership.
Criminal networks
3.001.00
Loose networks of criminal associates engaging in criminal activities who fail to meet the defining characteristics of mafia-style groups.
State-embedded actors
3.500.50
Criminal actors that are embedded in, and act from within, the state’s apparatus.
Foreign actors
4.000.00
State and/or non-state criminal actors operating outside their home country. Includes foreign nationals and diaspora groups.
Private sector actors
3.50 n/a
Profit-seeking individuals/entities who own/control a part of the legal economy free from the state, that collaborate with criminal actors.
Political leadership & governance
5.500.50
The State's role in responding to organized crime and its effectiveness. Strong political leadership/governance suggests higher resilience.
Government transparency and accountability
5.000.00
The degree to which states have put oversight mechanisms in place to ensure against state collusion in illicit activities.
International cooperation
6.001.00
A country's supranational structures and processes of interaction, policy making and concrete implementation to respond to organized crime.
National policies and laws
5.500.50
A state's legal action and structures put in place to respond to organized crime.
Judicial system and detention
4.50-0.50
Refers to a state’s judiciary’s power to effectively and independently enforce judgments on organized crime-related cases.
Law enforcement
6.500.50
The state’s ability to investigate, gather intelligence, protect and enforce adherence to its rules and procedures against organized crime.
Territorial integrity
6.000.00
The degree to which states are able to control their physical and cyber territory and infrastructure against organized criminal activities.
Anti-money laundering
5.001.00
A state’s ability to implement measures to combat money laundering and other related threats to the integrity of its financial system.
Economic regulatory capacity
6.001.00
The ability to control/manage the economy and regulate transactions (national and international) for trade to thrive within the rule of law.
Victim and witness support
3.000.00
Assistance provided to victims of various forms of organized crime, including initiatives such as witness protection programs.
Prevention
4.000.00
Refers to the existence of strategies, measures, resource allocation, programmes and processes that are aimed to inhibit organized crime.
Non-state actors
4.501.50
The degree non-state actors are allowed to engage in OC responses and their roles in supporting State efforts/ as watchdogs to governments.
Political leadership & governance
5.500.50
The State's role in responding to organized crime and its effectiveness. Strong political leadership/governance suggests higher resilience.
Government transparency and accountability
5.000.00
The degree to which states have put oversight mechanisms in place to ensure against state collusion in illicit activities.
International cooperation
6.001.00
A country's supranational structures and processes of interaction, policy making and concrete implementation to respond to organized crime.
National policies and laws
5.500.50
A state's legal action and structures put in place to respond to organized crime.
Judicial system and detention
4.50-0.50
Refers to a state’s judiciary’s power to effectively and independently enforce judgments on organized crime-related cases.
Law enforcement
6.500.50
The state’s ability to investigate, gather intelligence, protect and enforce adherence to its rules and procedures against organized crime.
Territorial integrity
6.000.00
The degree to which states are able to control their physical and cyber territory and infrastructure against organized criminal activities.
Anti-money laundering
5.001.00
A state’s ability to implement measures to combat money laundering and other related threats to the integrity of its financial system.
Economic regulatory capacity
6.001.00
The ability to control/manage the economy and regulate transactions (national and international) for trade to thrive within the rule of law.
Victim and witness support
3.000.00
Assistance provided to victims of various forms of organized crime, including initiatives such as witness protection programs.
Prevention
4.000.00
Refers to the existence of strategies, measures, resource allocation, programmes and processes that are aimed to inhibit organized crime.
Non-state actors
4.501.50
The degree non-state actors are allowed to engage in OC responses and their roles in supporting State efforts/ as watchdogs to governments.
Grenada’s human-trafficking market is very limited, with the main profits being attributed to foreign criminals transiting through the country’s waters. Recent evidence has raised concerns about a sexual exploitation ring reportedly operating within the country and across the region.
Grenada is a source country for human smuggling and main destinations include the US, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Vincent, Canada and the UK. Grenadians who want to leave the island may fall victim to local smugglers, known as ‘coyotes’, who earn considerable profits in return. The socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors, such as natural disasters, have contributed to an increase in irregular immigration, which has fueled the expansion of a bigger criminal network for human smuggling within Grenada and its neighbouring countries. There is no evidence of extortion and protection racketeering related to organized crime in Grenada.
Grenada does not seem to play an important role in the regional or international illicit arms trade. Most guns used in the country are believed to originate from neighbouring islands and the US, with crime groups using the same maritime routes as those used for other illicit products, particularly cocaine. Gang activities are usually associated with the use of guns, meaning that this could be an essential part of criminal economies in the country. There is no evidence of notable trade in counterfeit goods or an illicit market in excise goods in the country.
There is no significant market for flora crimes in Grenada. However, the unlawful possession of soursop and endangering plants and trees, such as mangroves, has been documented on the island, impacting on the country’s environment. Fauna crimes are also limited in Grenada and there is no evidence of international organized crime groups and gangs engaged in the market. Although this illicit economy is mainly made up of independent criminal structures involved in petty crimes and micro forms of trafficking, the illegal trade and consumption of sea turtles and their eggs, which are sold for food and as fashion accessories, is not uncommon.
There are indications that foreign companies may be benefiting from suspicious contracts to exploit non-renewable resources, in particular oil, with Grenada’s political leadership being accused of receiving illegal payments and using oil deals in exchange for political support.
As with all Caribbean countries, Grenada is by no means immune to the drugs trade, but it is one of the only countries in the region in which this activity is not accompanied by violence. Grenada is a destination country for cocaine originating from Colombia, as well as a transit country for Colombian shipments transported through Venezuela and Guyana to Canada, the US and Europe. Most cocaine is shipped in small fishing boats, go-fast boats and merchant vessels, although some criminal groups also recruit human carriers to transport it on commercial flights. Cocaine-smuggling attempts are reported to have decreased in recent years, although the quantity carried in each shipment has increased. There is no evidence of drug bosses working in the country.
Grenada is a source, transit and destination country for cannabis, the country’s most-used drug. Independent local gangs control production on the island, as well as the smuggling of other strains from neighbouring countries. Most cannabis is transported by sea to Canada and the US, and by air to Europe.
There is no evidence of heroin trafficking in the country or of a significantly sized synthetic-drugs market, which consists mostly of Ecstasy consumed by young people.
Although cyber-dependent crimes are not widespread in Grenada, cyber-attacks have increased, but few cases are reported and addressed because of resource shortages and perceived reputational damage. The launch of a national cyber-security incident response team in 2022 is an acknowledgement of the increasing threats posed by cyber-dependent crimes to the country’s security.
There are no signs of considerable financial crimes related to organized crime in the country. However, some offences occur that rely on phishing tactics, impersonation of public personalities, identity and credit card theft and e-mail scams. Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic favoured these new forms of online scams. Moreover, it is suspected that Grenada’s citizenship-by-investment programme also creates vulnerabilities to financial crimes.
Evidence points to the presence of loose criminal networks of gangs working across the country. These groups, which dominate micro-trafficking and petty crime, exert substantial control over the neighbourhoods in which they operate. Although they do not have significant access to guns, they engage in violent acts against rival gang members, usually using cutlasses. They also have links to other loose criminal networks in Guyana, Venezuela and St Vincent, who supply them with cannabis and cocaine for onward distribution to Europe and the US. Criminal actors from these countries – in particular, Venezuela and Guyana – reportedly have a presence in Grenada and mainly control the cocaine that is shipped in go-fast vessels.
State-embedded actors are not pervasive in the country, but isolated cases of corrupt practices and bribery linked to oil contracts have been identified in the past. Allegations have also been made of cooperation between police officials and the private sector in some areas, such as in the electricity sector. In addition to corrupt schemes, private sector actors are also known to be involved in financial crimes and money laundering. However, there is limited evidence to suggest a notable presence of mafia-style groups operating in Grenada.
Grenada is considered to be a stable country with a relatively strong body of laws aimed at tackling organized crime, as well as a national anti-drug strategy. Despite this, accusations of high-level corruption, fraud and links to drug trafficking have raised serious doubts about the capacity and willingness of the state to tackle illegal markets. Nevertheless, the newly elected government, which came to power in June 2022, has made tackling corruption and nepotism within the government a priority.
Grenada is party to several international treaties and conventions aimed at fighting organized crime. It has signed cooperation agreements with, among others, the US, the UK and the EU. These have included the donation of training and equipment, and participation in projects contributing to an established international intelligence network. The country also has a comprehensive legal framework pertaining to organized crime. Amendments to relevant regulations are regularly being proposed and adopted to address deficiencies and trends seen in criminal markets.
Grenada’s judicial system is based on British law, but it is also antiquated, slow and unable to deal with complex cases. Suspected offenders are usually bailed for several years pending trial. Judicial decisions often favour fines for those prosecuted for serious drug charges rather than jail time. Most prisons are overcrowded and have a high rate of pre-trial detention.
The Royal Grenada Police Force is the main law-enforcement agency in the country and is charged with general policing, immigration control, maritime and port security, and the investigation of organized crime. In addition, the force has a dedicated drug squad that works in close collaboration with the special services unit and the coastguard in the fight against illegal drug trafficking. Grenada’s police force runs community policing initiatives throughout the country, emphasizing building a better relationship with citizens in areas where the police are present and working with communities on projects to reduce crime.
Customs has a search and rummage team based in the port of St George. It also has access to specialized search tools, primarily focused on collecting import duties, although they also search for illicit drugs and cooperate with the Royal Grenada Police Force for seizures. Various factors make Grenada vulnerable to the trans-shipment of cocaine, including its geographic location in the Caribbean, its proximity to South America (it is located 160 kilometres north of Venezuela), its large number of visitors and its porous borders.
Money laundering continues to be an issue, even though Grenada is not a financial hub in the region, which is mostly caused by its cash-based economy. In recent years, it has taken some steps to tackle the concerns pertaining to money laundering.
Doing business in the country is considered difficult due to poor access to credit, a heavy tax burden and onerous property regulations. However, Grenada has a liberal approach to foreign investment and actively promotes this activity.
The authorities in Grenada have taken some steps to improve the protection of victims. The Royal Grenada Police Force has a special victims unit. Its objective is to enhance services for victims of child abuse and domestic and sexual violence. Grenada prevention campaigns encompass drug demand reduction policies. Programmes such as sports for drug prevention and guidelines for schools and workplaces are in place.
Grenada has an active civil society, although its effectiveness is somewhat curbed by a lack of resources. This issue also affects journalists and media organizations, which are often vulnerable to political pressure and sometimes exercise self-censorship.
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The criminal markets score is represented by the pyramid base size and the criminal actors score is represented by the pyramid height, on a scale ranging from 1 to 10. The resilience score is represented by the panel height, which can be identified by the side of the panel.
A series of 13 discussion papers, one for each illicit market considered during the development of the Index.
Read more on globalinitiative.net
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This report was funded in part by a grant from the United States Department of State.
ENACT is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Institute for Security Studies and INTERPOL, in affiliation with the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.
The opinions, findings and conclusions stated herein are those of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.