Antigua and Barbuda has intensified its efforts to tackle human trafficking through expanded training programs and the adoption of a 2025 National Action Plan. However, persistent challenges such as weak evidence collection, inadequate victim protection, and court backlogs continue to hinder progress, according to the 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report. Authorities have trained first responders and established a Trafficking in Persons Prevention Unit to coordinate victim identification, outreach, and investigations. Standard operating procedures are in place to guide law enforcement, immigration, customs, labor, and social services in screening potential cases. Despite these measures, prosecutorial outcomes remain stagnant. In 2024, officials investigated 13 suspects across nine cases, a significant drop from the previous year’s 26 suspects in 25 cases. Notably, no prosecutions were initiated, and the country has yet to secure a conviction under the 2010 Trafficking in Persons (Prevention) Act, which imposes severe penalties, including up to 25 years for crimes involving children. Observers attribute these shortcomings to weak investigative capacity, particularly in evidence collection and case management, as well as systemic corruption. Court backlogs, exacerbated by insufficient resources, further delay justice. Although courts have the option to use virtual and written testimony to protect victims, these tools remain unused in trafficking cases. Victim protection remains a critical issue, with officials identifying 13 potential victims in 2024 but confirming none as trafficking victims. The last confirmed case dates back to 2019. The report highlights a widespread confusion between trafficking and migrant smuggling, complicating victim identification. Additionally, the small size of Eastern Caribbean nations, including Antigua and Barbuda, limits authorities’ ability to safeguard victim-witnesses, discouraging reporting and testimony. Prevention efforts, including multilingual public awareness campaigns and government funding for anti-trafficking activities, continue. However, the report underscores that without improved evidence handling, consistent application of screening protocols, and robust witness protections, training alone is insufficient to achieve prosecutions or convictions.
Weak Investigative Capacity Stalls Trafficking Cases in Antigua, U.S says
