Criminal market
2.85
Human trafficking
2.00
Human smuggling
1.00
Arms trafficking
3.00
Flora crimes
1.00
Fauna crimes
2.50
Non-renewable resource crimes
3.00
Heroin trade
1.00
Cocaine trade
6.50
Cannabis trade
7.00
Synthetic drug trade
1.50
Criminal actors
3.25
Mafia-style groups
4.00
Criminal networks
2.00
State-embedded actors
3.00
Foreign actors
4.00
Political leadership and governance
5.00
Government transparency and accountability
5.00
International cooperation
5.00
National policies and laws
5.00
Judicial system and detention
5.00
Law enforcement
6.00
Territorial integrity
6.00
Anti-money laundering
4.00
Economic regulatory capacity
5.00
Victim and witness support
3.00
Prevention
4.00
Non-state actors
3.00
Political leadership and governance
5.00
Government transparency and accountability
5.00
International cooperation
5.00
National policies and laws
5.00
Judicial system and detention
5.00
Law enforcement
6.00
Territorial integrity
6.00
Anti-money laundering
4.00
Economic regulatory capacity
5.00
Victim and witness support
3.00
Prevention
4.00
Non-state actors
3.00
Grenada’s human-trafficking market is very limited, with the main profits being attributed to foreign criminals transiting through the country’s waters. Although irregular migration does take place from Grenada to various destinations, including the United States, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Vincent, Canada and the United Kingdom, there is no evidence to suggest the existence of an organized criminal smuggling industry.
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 United States, with crime groups using the same maritime routes as for other illicit products, particularly cocaine.
There is no evidence to suggest that a criminal market for flora exists in Grenada – and although independent criminal structures try to make a living by trafficking turtles and fish on the island, there is also no information about international organizations being involved in wildlife trafficking. There are indications, however, 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.
While like all Caribbean countries, Grenada is by no means immune to the drug trade, it is one of the only countries in the region in which the drug trade 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 via Venezuela and Guyana to Canada, the United States 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 reduced in recent years, although the quantity carried in each shipment has increased. Grenada is a source, transit and destination country for cannabis, the country's most-used drug. Independent criminal structures of 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 United States, and via 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.
While there are no mafia-style groups operating in Grenada, there is evidence pointing to the presence of loose criminal networks of gangs across the country. These groups, which dominate micro-trafficking and petty crime, extort substantial control over the neighbourhoods in which they operate. Although they don’t have any significant access to guns, they 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 – have a presence in Grenada and are mainly in control of the cocaine that is shipped in go-fast vessels. State-embedded actors are not pervasive in Grenada, but isolated cases of corrupt practices and bribery linked to oil contracts have been identified in the past.
Grenada is considered to be one of the most stable countries in the world and has a relatively strong body of laws aimed at tackling organized crime, as well as a national anti-drug strategy. In spite of 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. Grenada is party to a number of international treaties and conventions aimed at fighting organized crime. It has signed cooperation agreements with, among others, the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union. These have included the donation of training and equipment, and participation in projects contributing to an established international intelligence network.
There are a number of factors that 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. 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 judicial system, while based on British Law, is antiquated, slow and unable to deal with complex cases. Suspected offenders are usually bailed for several years pending trial. Judicial decisions often favour those prosecuted for serious drug charges with fines rather than jail time. Most prisons are corrupt and overcrowded, and have a high rate of pre-trial detention.
Despite the fact that Grenada is not a financial epicentre in the region, and despite it having taken some measures to tackle the problem, money laundering continues to be an issue. This is a consequence of drug trafficking being predominantly a cash business. Doing business in the country is considered to be quite difficult due to poor access to credit, a heavy tax burden and onerous property regulations.
The authorities in Grenada have taken some steps to improve the protection of victims. A special victims unit was set up in 2017, and a committee was appointed to address the sexual abuse of children. Drug-abuse prevention campaigns tend to focus primarily on cannabis. Grenada has an active civil society, although its effectiveness is somewhat curbed by a lack of resources. This is an issue that also affects journalists and media organizations, who 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.
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.