The Cabinet welcomed a delegation from the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), along with senior representatives from the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda, the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force, the Immigration Department, the Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy (ONDCP), and the Customs and Excise Division, for discussions on the country’s ratification of the Agreement Concerning Cooperation in Suppressing Illicit Maritime and Air Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances in the Caribbean Area, commonly referred to as the Treaty of San José.

The Cabinet affirmed its full commitment to ratifying and implementing the Treaty at the next sitting of Parliament.

The agreement will facilitate Antigua and Barbuda’s participation in coordinated law enforcement operations across Caribbean maritime and airspaces aimed at combating drug trafficking, the illegal movement of firearms and ammunition, unregulated fishing, and other transnational maritime crimes.

By becoming a party to the Treaty, Antigua and Barbuda’s law enforcement agencies will be empowered to engage in joint operations, including cross-jurisdictional pursuits, boarding of stateless vessels, and regional intelligence-sharing, all while maintaining respect for national sovereignty.

The Cabinet is confident that ratifying the Treaty will significantly enhance regional cooperation through a unified legal and operational approach, thereby closing critical gaps exploited by criminal networks operating in the Caribbean basin.