Customs operation seizes firearms, drugs in major Caribbean crackdownMore than 500 seizures of illicit goods were recorded during a regional security operation targeting firearms trafficking and drug smuggling across the Caribbean, according to officials.

The three-week initiative, known as Operation CALYPSO 2, resulted in the seizure of 119 firearms and 332 firearm parts, preventing the weapons from reaching organised crime groups in the region.

The operation, which ran from November 24 to December 12, 2025, was coordinated by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and involved 22 countries, including 18 WCO members.

Authorities said the effort focused on strengthening border security through greater intelligence sharing, coordinated enforcement and the identification of trafficking routes.

WCO Secretary General Ian Saunders said the operation demonstrated the role Customs authorities play in protecting communities from criminal networks.“Operation CALYPSO shows the concrete impact Customs delivers every day to protect society.

Through coordinated regional and international action, Customs officers intercepted illicit firearms and drugs before they could reach Caribbean communities, disrupting organised crime at its source,” Saunders said.

Officials said the operation was conducted in partnership with the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), with support from several international and regional agencies including INTERPOL, SEACOP, the Regional Security System and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Authorities reported 402 instances of prohibited or restricted items during the operation. Among the firearms seized were 21 assault rifles, a significant increase compared with six seized during the previous Operation Calypso.

One of the largest seizures occurred in the British Virgin Islands, where law enforcement intercepted 772 kilograms of cocaine aboard a small commercial vessel.

The vessel had travelled from Trinidad and called in at Saint Kitts and Nevis before being stopped at sea as it approached the British Virgin Islands.

Six people were arrested in connection with the incident.

In another case, officials in Saint Lucia reported the discovery of weapons that had been dismantled and concealed inside baby-related items within a freight shipment.

Authorities also detected auto-sears, components that can convert semi-automatic pistols into fully automatic weapons.

Officials said the operation also had an international impact, with intelligence sharing helping to identify liquid cocaine being trafficked towards France and preventing cannabis shipments from entering the Caribbean.

Operation CALYPSO 2 forms part of the WCO’s Project Bolt initiative, which focuses on combating the trafficking of small arms, light weapons and narcotics while strengthening the capabilities of Customs administrations across the Caribbean.

As part of the initiative, Customs officers received specialised training in areas including X-ray technology, vehicle inspections, and the use of WCO intelligence databases.

Authorities said these efforts improved officers’ ability to identify and intercept illicit goods during the operation.Officials said data gathered from the seizures will now be analysed to help strengthen border security and enhance future enforcement efforts across the region.