Carib Scope

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  • Latchoo set to lead Piton Boyz

    Latchoo set to lead Piton Boyz

    Ahead of the highly anticipated 2026-27 Concacaf Nations League, the Saint Lucia Football Association (SLFA) Inc. has formally named seasoned football tactician Rajesh Latchoo as the new head coach of the country’s senior men’s national team. The appointment caps a transition period for the side known colloquially as the Piton Boyz, as Latchoo steps into the role vacated by fellow Trinidad and Tobago native Stern John, who guided the squad through 25 competitive matches between 2022 and early 2026.

    Hailing from Princes Town, Trinidad and Tobago, Latchoo brings a well-rounded resume shaped by decades of work across club management, youth development, and regional coaching education. His first senior leadership opportunity arrived at just 27 years old, when he took the reins of Trinidadian club side Joe Public FC. In his early tenure with the team, he delivered immediate success, leading the club to claim the 2011 Digicel Pro Bowl championship.

    Over the course of his career, Latchoo has held a diverse array of roles across Caribbean football. Beyond his time at Joe Public, he has managed top-tier Trinidadian club Morvant Caledonia United, served as an assistant coach for Trinidad and Tobago’s senior women’s national team, and overseen multiple youth national squads. Off the match pitch, he has built a reputation as a leading voice for coaching development in the region: he has worked as a certified coaching instructor for Concacaf, and previously held dual leadership roles with the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association as Head of Coach Education and Youth Football Director.

    Latchoo’s most high-profile prior international appointment was a five-year tenure as head coach of the Commonwealth of Dominica’s men’s national team, a post he held from 2017 to 2022. Across 19 official competitive matches during that spell, including Concacaf Nations League fixtures and FIFA World Cup qualification games, he recorded five wins, four draws, and 10 losses. At the club level, he also compiled a 21-match record in charge of Morvant Caledonia United in the TT Pro League alongside his title-winning run at Joe Public FC.

    Notably, Latchoo’s appointment continues a long-running trend for the SLFA, which has now hired three consecutive Trinidad and Tobago-born head coaches for the senior men’s side. He follows Jamaal Shabazz, who held the post from 2019 to 2021, and outgoing coach John, who has since moved on to take the top job with Grenada’s national side.

    For Latchoo, the challenge starts immediately: the Piton Boyz are scheduled to kick off their 2026-27 Nations League campaign in League B, Group B this coming weekend, with two home matches set to take place at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground. The side will face Barbados this Friday, before taking on Bermuda three days later at the same venue, and will travel to Barbados for a return fixture the following weekend.

    With Latchoo’s deep background in coaching education and youth development, paired with the SLFA’s recent hire of a new technical director, football observers across the Caribbean are keen to see how the new coach will shape the long-term trajectory of Saint Lucian football. Beyond the immediate task of competing in the Nations League, his work will likely impact the growth of the country’s domestic league, the development of junior national teams, and the ongoing evolution of the senior men’s program.

  • Russell Watson’s Digital Poetics of Immersion at the 2026 Venice Biennale

    Russell Watson’s Digital Poetics of Immersion at the 2026 Venice Biennale

    One of the art world’s most anticipated international gatherings, the 2026 Biennale di Venezia, has played host to the Grenada Pavilion for the past five months, with a curatorial mission that bridges divides across the Caribbean region. In a departure from typical national representation, the pavilion has centered the work of a multidisciplinary artist from a neighboring Caribbean island, Barbados, to foster connection and solidarity across the archipelago. Curated by Daniele Radini Tedeschi, the official pavilion program features Russell Watson’s thought-provoking digital installation, titled *BG4202301 1M-A/BG4202301 1M-B*, which builds on the pavilion’s central thematic focus: exploring poetic correspondences between human sensory experience and the natural world that surrounds us. For years, Watson’s practice has centered the interconnected dynamics between the human body, Caribbean ecological systems, and metaphorical transformation. His work consistently creates visual spaces that blur the line between subtle visceral sensation and clear, recognizable representation—a creative approach that finds striking expression in his Venice Biennale presentation. Moving beyond the conventions of literal realistic depiction, Watson’s installation leans into mirroring effects and sensory echoes of the ocean to evoke the quiet, immersive experience of being submerged underwater. Upon entering the installation space, viewers are immediately pulled into the visual interplay between two silent, mirrored figures displayed across separate screens. Far from functioning as simple duplicate reflections of one another, the figures seem to engage in a quiet dialogue across the empty space between their displays. As soft streams of bubbles rising from the figures’ mouths slowly move toward convergence, the work’s meaning emerges not from bold statement, but from symmetry, mutual presence, and quiet internal resonance. Layered visual and auditory elements combine to create an almost tangible sensation of being surrounded by water. Shimmering light that mimics the movement of sun on a sea surface plays across the figures, while the background gradually deepens from pale to rich cerulean, signaling a slow descent into the depths of the Caribbean Sea. Coral formations that cover the figures’ eyes amplify the immersive effect, shifting focus away from visual perception and toward the audience’s other senses. A layered, reconstructed underwater soundscape extends this illusion beyond the visual realm, reinforcing the feeling of submersion even when no physical water is present. Rather than framing the Caribbean Sea as a static subject to be depicted, Watson reconstructs the ocean as a visceral, felt sensation. While the work’s perceptual logic aligns with the traditions of magical realism, it does not introduce supernatural elements to create its unusual effect. Instead, Watson shifts the audience’s familiar expectations of how we perceive art, creating an intermediate space that sits between traditional representation and pure sensory experience. In this space, digital illusion makes the absence of the physical sea feel almost tangible. This delicate interplay of sensory elements is exactly what brings the Grenada Pavilion’s core poetics of correspondence to life. Every formal choice echoes a natural element: blue brings depth to mind, shimmer evokes the constant movement of the ocean surface, coral formations nod to the Caribbean’s fragile marine ecosystems, bubbles signal breath and weightless suspension, and the gradual darkening of the palette mirrors the imagined journey into deeper water. In the dialogue between human figures, color, light, and sound, the sensory presence of the Caribbean Sea becomes almost tangible for visitors, long after they leave the pavilion space. The exhibition will remain open to the public through November 22. This analysis is contributed by Valentina Miniti, an emerging Italian art critic and curator with an interdisciplinary academic background spanning modern literature, literary criticism, communication, and fine arts. From 2022 to 2024, Miniti served as a lecturer in English for Arts and Communication at the Academy of Fine Arts in Reggio Calabria, before shifting her professional focus to independent art criticism and curatorial projects. She currently collaborates with Start Group Srl to support and promote international artistic practice. Disclaimer: NOW Grenada holds no responsibility for the opinions, statements, or third-party media content shared by contributing writers. Users may click to report any content that violates community guidelines.

  • Sandals Foundation Rallies Over 700 Volunteers Across the

    Sandals Foundation Rallies Over 700 Volunteers Across the

    On September 19, 2026, communities across the Caribbean came together for International Coastal Cleanup Day (ICCD), the world’s largest single-day volunteer environmental event, led by a major regional non-profit. The Sandals Foundation, an organization focused on fostering long-term environmental stewardship across Caribbean communities, coordinated more than 700 volunteers across multiple island nations for the annual initiative.

    In the nation of Antigua and Barbuda, 60 participants gathered at the country’s northern coast to clear litter from popular shorelines and surrounding natural areas. The local volunteer cohort included staff from Sandals Grande Antigua Resort and Spa, youth members of the Antigua and Barbuda Scout Association, and individual local community members. Over the course of the day, teams worked to remove waste from Dickenson Bay, Runaway Bay, the grounds surrounding the Sandals Grande Antigua Resort and Spa, and the outer edges of a nearby salt pond, a critical local ecosystem.

    Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation, emphasized that the annual event serves as a global moment of collective action to protect shared marine resources. “International Coastal Cleanup Day is a dedicated time where the world comes together to show solidarity and care for our oceans,” Clarke explained. “We continue to embed environmental stewardship across our region by mobilizing community members, empowering everyday people to take tangible action to protect our coastlines. Every small action adds up, and we are continuously encouraged by the steady support and collaboration from our partners and volunteers who show up year after year.”

    David Latchimy, General Manager of Sandals Grande Antigua, noted that the resort’s long-standing partnership with the foundation aligns with its core commitment to advancing regional environmental sustainability. “We are proud to stand with a shared commitment to protecting Antigua and Barbuda’s stunning natural coastline and unique ecosystems,” Latchimy said.

    Leon Norville, Sandals Public Relations Manager and Sandals Foundation representative, added that the 2026 initiative went far beyond just removing accumulated trash from beaches. “This year’s cleanup gave us a critical opportunity to turn broad environmental awareness into meaningful, collective community action,” Norville explained. “ICCD is about more than picking up litter—it’s about nurturing a deeper sense of environmental responsibility within every generation. Working alongside our community partners let us engage young people directly in this mission, showing them firsthand how vital it is to protect the natural spaces we all rely on and enjoy. We are incredibly proud of every volunteer who joined us, and deeply grateful to the Antigua and Barbuda Scout Association for their partnership on this important work.”

    The 2026 ICCD effort is just one part of the Sandals Foundation’s 17-year history of regional environmental action. Since the organization launched its conservation programming in 2009, it has mobilized nearly 200,000 people across the Caribbean to participate in a wide range of initiatives. These efforts extend far beyond annual coastal cleanups, and include long-term projects such as active marine sanctuary management, large-scale coral reef restoration, community-focused environmental education programs, and cross-regional biodiversity conservation projects.

  • Govt to move ahead with Joy St Omer inquiry

    Govt to move ahead with Joy St Omer inquiry

    After weeks of procedural delay caused by unresolved legal questions, the long-awaited independent commission of inquiry into the death of Joy St Omer is finally poised to move forward, following clearance from the country’s top legal advisor. Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre confirmed the development during a pre-Cabinet press briefing on Monday, revealing that the Attorney General has formally advised the government that the inquiry can proceed once specific pre-defined conditions are put in place.

    The push for a public inquiry originated from a formal petition submitted to the Prime Minister and the full Cabinet by St Omer’s family, who have pressed for full transparency into the circumstances surrounding her death. Initially, Cabinet declined to immediately greenlight the request, citing overlapping active criminal proceedings connected to St Omer’s death. Government officials opted to hold the process to seek formal legal guidance, to eliminate any risk that the commission’s work would prejudice or disrupt ongoing criminal litigation.

    With the critical legal opinion now in hand, the government has laid out its clear roadmap for advancing the inquiry. The Attorney General is currently drafting the formal terms of reference for the commission, a document that will outline the exact scope of the investigation and embed the required conditions to ensure compliance with legal requirements. Once the draft is finalized, Cabinet will present the plan to the Governor General to issue the official order formally establishing the commission of inquiry.

    Prime Minister Pierre pushed back against any suggestions that the delay in approving the inquiry was unnecessary, defending the government’s deliberate, caution-first approach. “The decisions I take have far-reaching effects; before I take any decision, I always seek opinions,” Pierre told reporters.

    Monday’s announcement marks a key milestone for St Omer’s family, who have campaigned for an independent investigation into her death. The full scope of the commission’s investigation will ultimately depend on the details laid out in the upcoming terms of reference, which are expected to be finalized and presented to Cabinet in the coming weeks.

  • Local UWI Guild secures Sherwin-Williams support for campus project

    Local UWI Guild secures Sherwin-Williams support for campus project

    A collaborative community improvement initiative is underway at the University of the West Indies Global Campus in Saint Lucia, after the institution’s student governing body struck a partnership with global paint manufacturer Sherwin-Williams to revitalize key campus facilities.

    Under the terms of the agreement, Sherwin-Williams has contributed a full donation of paint to refresh the interior surfaces of both study areas and administrative offices across the Saint Lucia campus. The renovation project is designed to breathe new life into outdated spaces, creating a more vibrant and comfortable environment for daily academic and institutional work.

    Shem Hippolyte, president of the UWI Global Campus Saint Lucia Student Guild Executive, outlined the dual goals driving the project. Beyond upgrading the physical learning spaces that students use every day, Hippolyte explained the initiative also seeks to foster a deeper collective pride in the campus and strengthen the sense of community among the student body.

    Hippolyte also extended public gratitude to Sherwin-Williams for its generous corporate contribution, and recognized the campus senior leadership team for its support in moving the renovation plan from concept to implementation.

    Diana Williams, faculty advisor to the Student Guild, emphasized that the partnership carries broader developmental benefits beyond cosmetic upgrades to the campus. She noted that the project intentionally puts student leaders in the driver’s seat, giving them hands-on experience identifying pressing campus needs, developing practical solutions, and building professional connections with local private sector partners.

    “Empowering student leaders to identify solutions and partner with corporate Saint Lucia is at the core of holistic development,” Williams said of the initiative’s long-term educational value.

  • Special Education Needs Unit temporarily relocated to Galleria Mall

    Special Education Needs Unit temporarily relocated to Galleria Mall

    In an official public notice issued this week, the Ministry of Education in Grenada has outlined updated operational locations for several of its core departments, as multiple units undergo temporary relocation that will alter access for residents seeking educational services. The announcement, first shared via local platform NOW Grenada, clarifies that one of the first departments moving is the Special Education Needs Unit, which has shifted its day-to-day operations to a new space at Galleria Mall in the Grand Anse area of St George. Members of the public visiting this unit can access all routine services during the institution’s standard operating hours, which remain 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Monday through Friday, hosted in the mall’s third-floor meeting room.

    Beyond the Special Education Needs Unit, a number of other key Ministry of Education departments have also moved to a temporary new venue: the Ministry of Infrastructure’s Conference Room, located on the fourth floor of the Ministerial Complex within the Eric Gairy Botanical Gardens in Tanteen, St George. The units now operating from this alternate location include the Examinations Unit, the central Administration Unit, Student Support Services, the Personnel Unit, the Human Resource Development Division which manages all scholarship programming, and the Finance Unit.

    Another department, the School Administration and Management Unit, is currently operating from a different off-site location: the second floor of the Ministry of Health building. For a selection of remaining units that have not yet been assigned to a permanent temporary location, services will continue to be delivered exclusively via telephone and email correspondence, with updates to be shared with the public once new in-person access arrangements are confirmed.

    The Ministry of Education closed its official statement by expressing sincere gratitude to the Grenadian public for their patience, understanding, and cooperation as the department navigates this period of transition, emphasizing that all efforts are being made to minimize disruptions to critical educational services for students, families and education stakeholders across the country. This notice carries a standard disclaimer from publishing platform NOW Grenada, which notes that the platform does not take responsibility for opinions or content shared by official contributors, and provides a channel for users to report any inappropriate content related to the posting.

  • “Belize Will Be Vindicated”: Briceño on Guatemala as Belize Marks 45 Years

    “Belize Will Be Vindicated”: Briceño on Guatemala as Belize Marks 45 Years

    As Belize marked its 45th year of sovereign independence on September 21, 2026, the nation’s top political leaders took the ceremonial stage to outline their vision for the country’s future, with the long-running border dispute with neighboring Guatemala taking center stage in Prime Minister John Briceño’s address.

    Briceño used the anniversary occasion to reinforce national unity and reaffirm Belize’s claim to its territorial sovereignty, noting that the decades-long border conflict with Guatemala is moving toward a long-awaited resolution at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Oral arguments in the landmark case are scheduled to open at the ICJ in February 2027, marking the final phase of legal proceedings over the dispute that has stretched across Belize’s entire modern history as an independent state.

    “For far too many generations, our territorial borders have been challenged by our neighbor Guatemala,” Briceño told the assembled crowd of celebrants and officials. “We are optimistic heading into the final stages of this legal process, and we firmly believe that when the ruling is delivered, Belize will be vindicated. Once this chapter closes, we will be able to build deeper, more constructive ties with both the Guatemalan government and the Guatemalan people, who we value as neighbors.”

    Following the conclusion of oral arguments in the Guatemala-Belize dispute, the ICJ has scheduled proceedings for a separate pending border case between Belize and Honduras, which will move forward once the first matter is resolved.

    Beyond the border issue, Briceño used his address to rally national pride among Belizeans, emphasizing that the small Caribbean nation carries an outsized sense of purpose and unity. “Today, more than any moment in our history, it is time for all Belizeans to show the world the strength of our national character,” he said. “We are a small country, but we hold incredible strength. Our population is deeply diverse, but we are bound together by a shared love for this beautiful land that we are proud to call home.”

    While Briceño focused on national unity and the upcoming international legal ruling, Opposition Leader Tracy Panton used the same independence anniversary ceremony to lay out a contrasting policy vision, calling for sweeping national renewal centered on putting ordinary citizens at the heart of governance.

    Panton argued that Belize’s next chapter must prioritize people-centered leadership, restore public trust in governmental integrity, and build an economic framework that rewards hard work, innovation, and private enterprise. She also issued a warning to Briceño’s ruling administration against overstepping its authority, stressing the importance of inclusive governance and respect for political dissent.

    “A truly strong government knows how to listen to its people and respects differing opinions,” Panton said. “It must never confuse a parliamentary majority for unlimited, unchecked power. The core mandate of any elected government is to ease the daily hardships facing working people, restore public confidence in state institutions, and build systems that will remain strong long after any individual administration leaves office.”

  • Belize @45: Diaspora Celebrates Belize in Taiwan

    Belize @45: Diaspora Celebrates Belize in Taiwan

    Thousands of miles from their Caribbean homeland, members of Belize’s diaspora community in Taiwan came together on Saturday to mark the Central American nation’s 45th year of independence, turning the island’s Diplomatic Quarter into a hub of cultural celebration.

    Organized in partnership with the Belize Taiwan Association, the evening gala brought together Belizean expats of all ages for a night of connection, culture, and national pride. Attendees danced to the iconic rhythms of beloved Belizean artist Supa G, with shared moments of joy captured on video that have circulated widely among the global Belizean community. Traditional food, cultural performances, and casual conversations let expats reconnect with their roots and strengthen bonds with fellow community members living abroad.

    In a social media statement shared after the event, the Embassy of Belize in Taiwan praised the Belize Taiwan Association for its work coordinating the successful gathering. “What a wonderful evening celebrating Belize at 45,” the post read, noting that the event filled a key role for Belizeans building lives far from home. Embassy officials also shared plans to expand the annual celebration in 2027, with the goal of drawing an even larger portion of the Belizean diaspora based across Taiwan and neighboring regions.

    Meanwhile, back in Belize, independence day celebrations were unfolding across the country in parallel with the Taiwan gala. The nation’s annual uniformed parade kicked off in the capital, while the popular Orange Walk Carnival Road March got underway in the early afternoon, drawing thousands of local attendees to mark the national milestone with parades, live music, and community festivities that have become a staple of the country’s independence traditions.

    The dual celebrations, held half a world apart, highlight the strong ties that bind the global Belizean diaspora to their home country, even as communities build new lives overseas. For the Belizean community in Taiwan, the annual gala has grown into a key annual tradition that keeps national culture and connection alive for expats living thousands of miles from home.

  • Soul Sacrifice

    Soul Sacrifice

    A large-scale luxury hotel and golf course development funded by Grenada’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme has ignited fierce controversy after a senior industry expert exposed deeply flawed regulatory processes and hidden environmental threats to the island’s northern Levera region.

    Under Grenadian law, any major construction project must complete and receive official approval for an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) before ground is broken. The ESIA framework is designed to identify and mitigate harm to ecosystems and communities during the planning phase, when adjustments to project design can still be made easily. But in this case, regulators at the Planning and Development Authority (PDA) flipped the process upside down, allowing the Singaporean developer Heng Sheng (Grenada) Development PTE Ltd to start building the golf course — one of the project’s highest-impact components — without any approved ESIA in place.

    It was only after a successful legal challenge from local advocacy group Grenada Land Actors (GLA) that the PDA finally ordered an ESIA to be conducted. By that point, the golf course was already more than half complete. S Brian Samuel, a GLA board member with decades of experience in project finance consulting alongside the World Bank and Caribbean Development Bank, says this reversed process is unprecedented and nonsensical. “You cannot do an EIA on a project that is already more than half-built,” Samuel explained. “By the time construction is this far along, it is far too late to address fundamental design flaws that cause environmental harm.”

    The 500-room resort and 180-acre 18-hole golf course place unprecedented strain on Levera’s already limited natural resources, starting with water. Local residents and utility providers have long confirmed that the region is naturally arid: both the National Water and Sewerage Authority (NAWASA) and power utility Grenlec have publicly ruled out providing additional water for the project. To fill this gap, the developer has quietly outlined plans to build a 2.5-kilometer pipeline that would pump freshwater from the La Fortune River estuary in Sauteurs to the Levera site. Most alarmingly, hidden in fine print of the low-resolution plans included in the ESIA is a provision for a 6,500-cubic-meter reservoir to be built on top of Welcome Stone — a beloved, culturally significant local landmark that residents consider sacred.

    “This is a travesty and must be stopped,” Samuel said. Beyond the threat to Welcome Stone, the developer’s entire infrastructure plan is riddled with unaddressed gaps and violations of regulatory protocol. Water abstraction from the La Fortune River requires its own independent ESIA and approval from the national Water Resources Management Unit (WRMU), but the WRMU is not yet operational after the legislation creating it was only passed in 2025. The coastal pipeline route requires land acquisitions via easements, leases or purchases that could take years to resolve, and no separate approval process has been completed for that work. The ESIA also omitted any details of a planned desalination plant, leaving the public in the dark about its size, location and potential environmental impacts. Even the project’s power plan, a 30-megawatt solar farm with battery storage that would require 220 acres of additional land, has not undergone a required independent impact assessment.

    Despite these massive, glaring deficiencies, the ESIA’s final conclusion claims the project can proceed with only minor adjustments to mitigate harm. Samuel called this conclusion indefensible, noting that many of the project’s biggest harms are already irreversible because construction started before the assessment could flag problems. Beyond the flaws in the assessment itself, Samuel condemned the lack of transparency around the project, saying key details about the reservoir and desalination plant were intentionally buried in hard-to-read documents to avoid public pushback.

    “It is totally unacceptable for the consultants to bury the potential for destruction of Grenada’s iconic Welcome Stone within an illegible figure in the document,” Samuel said. “In fact, it is downright shameful.”

    GLA is calling on the PDA to reject the current substandard ESIA in its entirety until all major flaws are fully addressed. In a subsequent article, the group plans to expand its analysis to cover unreported ecological and social impacts of the project and additional weaknesses in the assessment. The full ESIA is available as a public document from the PDA, and GLA is urging all interested Grenadians to access the document and share their concerns with regulators.

  • Dominica part of major cross-border operation against organized crime

    Dominica part of major cross-border operation against organized crime

    In what organizers are calling the largest coordinated anti-organized crime operation between Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe to date, a massive international law enforcement initiative dubbed Operation ATLAS NEXUS has taken down dozens of transnational criminal networks and resulted in more than 490 arrests across 35 participating nations, including the Caribbean island nation of Dominica.

    The joint initiative, led by the Belgian Federal Police, brought together thousands of law enforcement officers, customs agents, and judicial officials from three continents to crack down on five of the most harmful illegal markets that fuel cross-border criminal activity: drug trafficking, human trafficking, document fraud, firearms trafficking, and environmental crime. Operational coordination was carried out through EMPACT Operational Action 6.1, which prioritizes targeting the world’s most dangerous criminal networks and individuals, with additional coordination from FRONTEX and CARICOM IMPACS. The operation received core funding and support from EL PACCTO 2.0, the European Union’s dedicated security and justice cooperation program for the Latin America and Caribbean region. A broad coalition of global security bodies also backed the initiative, including AMERIPOL, EUROPOL, INTERPOL, MAOC(N), the Regional Security System, CRIMARIO II, SEACOP VI, and the Italian-funded Interpol I-CAN initiative.

    Over the course of coordinated enforcement actions, authorities carried out 595 formal search warrants and monitored more than 110 aircraft, 28 commercial vessels, 415 ground vehicles, and 271 shipping containers across 28 pre-designated checkpoints. More than 8,680 on-the-ground personnel took part in national enforcement phases of the operation.

    Seizures from the operation reached a combined total of more than 156.9 tonnes of illicit material, alongside a wide range of other illegal contraband and assets. Among the most significant seizures were 37.6 tonnes of cocaine and 118.6 tonnes of cannabis. Additional contraband recovered included 201 unregistered firearms, 3,131 rounds of ammunition and explosive materials, 803 illegally trafficked wild animals and livestock, $135,000 in untraced cash and cryptocurrency, 0.83 kilograms of illegally mined gold, 468 counterfeit and fraudulent identity documents, 464 pieces of stolen jewellery, 169 illegally acquired properties, and one vehicle linked to criminal activity. Law enforcement also successfully rescued and provided support to 18 human trafficking victims freed from criminal networks during the operation.

    The operation yielded several high-impact breakthroughs beyond routine seizures and arrests: investigators uncovered Ireland’s first ever detected cocaine processing laboratory, and identified two previously unknown illegal gold mining operations in French Guiana. Authorities also submitted 37 official INTERPOL notices, including 17 high-priority red notices for the arrest of fugitive criminals still at large. Australia made an outsize contribution to the drug seizure total, playing a central role in the interception of more than 5.6 tonnes of cocaine bound for criminal networks across the globe.

    A full list of the 35 nations that took part in the operation includes: Germany, Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica, Ecuador, the United States, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Hungary, Ireland, Jamaica, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, the Dominican Republic, Romania, the United Kingdom, St Lucia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.