Caribbean law enforcement and judicial practitioners gathered in Guyana this week for a high-level regional meeting focused on strengthening asset recovery mechanisms to disrupt transnational organized crime and ensure criminals cannot profit from illicit proceeds.
Meeting opens with call for deeper collaboration
The Annual General Meeting and Steering Group Meeting of the Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network for the Caribbean (ARIN-CARIB) opened at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, bringing together prosecutors, investigators, and judicial officers from across the region. Senior officials emphasized the need for deeper regional and international cooperation to effectively combat the financial dimensions of transnational organized crime.
Deputy Executive Director of the Regional Security System (RSS), Atlee Rodney, addressed the gathering, underscoring the strategic importance of coordinated asset recovery efforts as a deterrent to serious and organized criminal activity. The two-day forum is designed to strengthen operational collaboration, share best practices, and enhance the capacity of Caribbean authorities to trace, freeze, seize, and confiscate criminal assets.
ARIN-CARIB’s mandate and regional role
ARIN-CARIB is a network of law enforcement and judicial practitioners specializing in asset tracing, freezing, seizure, and confiscation across Caribbean jurisdictions. Each member state is represented by both a law enforcement officer and a judicial expert, such as a prosecutor or investigating judge, to ensure comprehensive coverage of the asset recovery process.
The network’s core objective is to facilitate informal contacts between investigators and prosecutors working on cases that involve potential forfeiture of assets beyond their national borders. By fostering early-stage cooperation prior to formal mutual legal assistance requests, ARIN-CARIB aims to accelerate and streamline subsequent legal processes grounded in international treaties and conventions.
ARIN-CARIB is the seventh such network established globally since 2004 and was created with support from the Organization of American States (OAS). It uniquely brings together officials from the four legal traditions present in the Caribbean: English, Dutch, French, and Spanish-speaking jurisdictions.
Focus on seizure and confiscation of criminal assets
Prosecutors, investigators, and judicial practitioners at the meeting were urged to intensify asset recovery efforts to ensure that criminals do not benefit from the proceeds of illegal activities. Discussions centered on practical strategies for improving the identification, restraint, and confiscation of assets linked to drug trafficking, corruption, fraud, and other serious crimes.
Participants explored case studies and operational challenges associated with cross-border asset recovery, including issues related to differing legal frameworks, evidentiary standards, and the management of seized assets. The meeting reinforced the importance of global cooperation in tracing, freezing, and confiscating illicit assets to disrupt criminal profits worldwide.
Guyana’s leadership and AML/CFT progress
Guyana, which is scheduled to chair ARIN-CARIB in 2026, highlighted its recent advancements in anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) frameworks. During the 61st Plenary of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) in late 2025, Guyana reported improvements in mutual legal assistance procedures, expanded investigative and prosecutorial capacity for money laundering offences, and increased asset recovery efforts.
The country’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) have been working closely with regional partners, including the RSS Asset Recovery Unit, to address high-profile money laundering cases. Guyana has also been drafting legislation to strengthen its AML/CFT regime ahead of an upcoming mutual evaluation, with guidance from RSS model legislation that has influenced AML/CFT laws across the Caribbean.
Regional momentum on joint investigations and asset recovery
The Guyana meeting occurs amid broader regional momentum to enhance joint investigative capabilities and asset recovery cooperation. In May 2026, Caribbean Attorneys General, prosecutors, and security officials met in Barbados to develop a legal framework for joint investigations into financial crime and asset recovery. These efforts reflect a growing recognition that fragmented national approaches are insufficient against sophisticated transnational criminal networks that exploit jurisdictional gaps.
The RSS Asset Recovery Unit has positioned itself as a centre of excellence in the Eastern Caribbean for combating serious organized crime, money laundering, and the recovery of criminal assets. Guyana’s participation in the RSS and its upcoming ARIN-CARIB chairmanship signal its commitment to leading regional initiatives in this domain.
International support and capacity building
International partners, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have backed anti-corruption and asset recovery initiatives in Guyana and the wider Caribbean. In March 2026, the Guyana Police Force launched a high-level training program supported by U.S. and U.K. experts, covering anti-corruption practices, legal frameworks for investigations, and asset recovery techniques.
Previous U.S.-sponsored conferences in Guyana have brought together experts from across the Caribbean, the United States, and Canada to discuss asset recovery and money laundering issues, resulting in increased investigations and prosecutions using conviction-based asset recovery tools. U.S. Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch has emphasized that updated legislative frameworks are critical to taking the profit from crime and enabling judicial officers to adjudicate asset recovery cases effectively.
The 2026 ARIN-CARIB Annual General Meeting and Steering Group Meeting is expected to produce actionable recommendations for enhancing cross-border cooperation, harmonizing legal procedures, and building institutional capacity for asset recovery across the Caribbean. As Guyana prepares to assume the ARIN-CARIB chairmanship, the country’s strengthened national coordination and public engagement efforts are anticipated to support the network’s operational priorities.