U.S. and Caribbean law enforcement officials met in Trinidad and Tobago on October 30th to strengthen cross-border investigations into money laundering, trace criminal assets, and disrupt the financial networks that fuel organized crime.
The U.S. Embassy in Port of Spain, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Trinidad and Tobago’s Strategic Services Agency (SSA) hosted the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) Alumni Workshop on Money Laundering Investigations at the National Security Training Academy in Cumuto, in coordination with the U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown. The hybrid workshop brought together officials from Trinidad and Tobago and the Eastern Caribbean who had completed ILEA training in financial investigations and asset forfeiture.
“Criminals don’t respect borders. Money that moves through Trinidad and Tobago today can be in Castries tomorrow and Bridgetown next week,” said U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Philip Kern. “When we take away criminals’ money, we take away their power to recruit, arm themselves, and corrupt the institutions that stand in their way.”
Kern also welcomed Trinidad and Tobago’s removal from the European Union’s anti-money laundering high-risk list, calling the Financial Action Task Force’s upcoming Fifth Round Mutual Evaluation in December an opportunity to build on that progress.
Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander said, “Through continued collaboration, stronger investigative capabilities, and a shared commitment to following the money, Trinidad and Tobago can strengthen its response to money laundering, disrupt illicit financial networks, and build more resilient national security framework.”
Experts from HSI, the SSA, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, CARICOM IMPACS, and the Financial Intelligence Unit led sessions on cryptocurrency, trade-based money laundering, cross-border asset tracing, and U.S.–Trinidad and Tobago cooperation. Participants examined regional financial crime trends, discussed investigative approaches, and identified follow-on actions to apply their training to active cases.
Since 2008, ILEA San Salvador has trained more than 3,300 law enforcement, security, and judicial officials from the Caribbean. The United States continues to work with Trinidad and Tobago and regional partners to strengthen investigative capabilities, disrupt criminal financial networks, and improve security across the Caribbean and the United States.
