Authorities in Antigua and Barbuda have stepped up targeted law enforcement action against two documented criminal gangs in a sweeping push to reverse a recent resurgence of youth violence and curb further gun-related crime, according to top law enforcement official Lisbon Michael, Assistant Commissioner of Police and head of the Criminal Investigations Department.
In a public interview with ABS’ flagship current affairs program *Antigua Barbuda Today*, Michael publicly named the two targeted groups as the Grace Farm Killers and the Two Jilly gang. “As far as I’m aware, there are two gangs, Grace Farm Killers and the Two Jilly gangs,” Michael stated, confirming that law enforcement teams are actively and vigorously pursuing all individuals linked to these criminal organizations.
This coordinated crackdown is a core component of Operation Restore Confidence, a strategic police initiative rolled out in response to growing public anxiety over rising gun violence and organized serious crime across the island nation. One of the operation’s central stated goals is to dismantle gang-related criminal networks that have established a foothold in local communities.
Michael’s remarks came in response to public questions about worrying signs that youth violence, which had seen notable improvements in recent years, is now reemerging. He also drew a clear connection between the latest string of shooting incidents and unresolved tensions that originated during the annual J’ouvert morning celebration, part of the country’s popular Carnival season.
“I think the most recent shootings that we had is something that sparked from the J’ouvert Morning celebration,” Michael explained. He was quick to clarify that the J’ouvert event and the broader Carnival celebrations remained overwhelmingly peaceful overall, but noted that an isolated altercation or incident during the festivities appears to have ignited subsequent retaliatory violence between rival groups.
To date, law enforcement has already arrested and formally charged multiple individuals connected to the recent gang-related violence, and all pending cases are now working their way through the national judicial system, Michael confirmed.
Beyond immediate enforcement action, Michael also highlighted the long-term preventive work of the police’s specialized Youth Intervention Department. The unit focuses on at-risk children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 18, including young people showing early signs of behavioral dysfunction and those growing up in households impacted by ongoing conflict and violence.
Michael reported that the intervention program has delivered measurable positive results, with significant behavioral improvements recorded among many participants and an overall reduction in youth involvement in violent crime. Even with these gains, he issued a stark warning that sustained, ongoing engagement with at-risk young people remains non-negotiable, warning that without continued investment in intervention work, the country risks losing “an entire generation” to cycles of violence.