A major regional maritime security operation has disrupted transnational smuggling networks across the Caribbean and stripped organised criminal groups of an estimated US$54.5 million in illicit assets and contraband.
Operation Eclipse, led by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), was conducted throughout May 2026 in collaboration with 14 CARICOM Member States, seven Associate Members and international security partners from Canada, Colombia, France, the United Kingdom, the United States and INTERPOL.
Supported by the US Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the four-week intelligence-led operation targeted maritime trafficking routes and smuggling networks operating across multiple jurisdictions, including the Eastern Caribbean, Guyanese waters and transatlantic routes.
The operation generated 82 active intelligence cases, tracked 59 vessels of interest, produced 17 critical intelligence reports and resulted in 24 successful seizure operations.
The largest seizures involved narcotics. Authorities confiscated 5,222.59 kilograms of cocaine, valued at more than US$44 million, and 1,848 kilograms of marijuana, valued at over US$6.84 million. The drugs were intercepted aboard go-fast boats, yachts and inter-island cargo vessels.
Enforcement teams also seized more than 6,100 cases of illegal alcohol, 191 cartons of cigarettes and 22 cylinders of banned refrigerant gas, with a combined value exceeding US$1.58 million.
The operation further resulted in the seizure of two firearms and 65 rounds of ammunition, as well as 13 vessels and three vehicles allegedly used by smuggling networks. Authorities also intercepted 59 irregular migrants travelling through multiple air and sea transit routes.
CARICOM IMPACS said contraband smuggling accounted for the largest share of active maritime cases at 32.9 percent, followed by cocaine trafficking at 23.2 percent.
A significant emerging threat identified during the operation was the use of clandestine aircraft to drop narcotics near borders for subsequent collection by maritime traffickers. CARICOM IMPACS said the activity was tracked and disrupted through technology provided by international partners.
The operation also revealed the international reach of the networks under investigation. Biometric and document verification conducted on 99 records aboard intercepted vessels showed that most of the individuals identified originated from Canada, China, Cuba and Syria.
CARICOM IMPACS said Operation Eclipse went beyond individual seizures, helping to strengthen the region’s capacity for coordinated maritime enforcement. The operation tested and refined the application of frameworks including the Treaty of San José and bilateral Shiprider agreements.
The agency said intelligence gathered during the operation’s post-operational review is now being used by participating countries to inform long-term border policies and target persistent criminal networks.
Lt. Col. Michael Jones, Executive Director of CARICOM IMPACS, said the operation demonstrated the power of regional cooperation against increasingly sophisticated criminal organisations.
“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. 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 said.
A US State Department official said the operation also underscored the importance of regional information sharing in confronting transnational crime.
“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”.
