WILLEMSTAD - The corona pandemic has only increased the vulnerability of the Caribbean part of the Kingdom to corruption, money laundering and cybercrime. This is the conclusion of researcher Simone van der Zee, who has drawn up an update of the crime picture in the region on behalf of the Criminal Investigation Cooperation Team.
The analysis for this update shows that the risks of corruption, money laundering and cybercrime have increased. Corruption and money laundering have been seen in the literature as threats to the Caribbean region for a long time and have therefore been on the priority list of investigative cooperation in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom for some time. And they should stay on that list. Cybercrime has only recently been on the radar of law enforcement agencies in the countries, but various forces are paying increasing attention to it. It is necessary to keep a close eye on cybercrime in the coming years and to collect information in order to shed more light on the theme.
It is suspected that with the growth of online gambling, the related crime also increases. In the literature, the online gambling world is strongly associated with money laundering. This topic is particularly relevant for Curaçao. Human trafficking, on the other hand, is a phenomenon that occurs in all countries and where there may also be interfaces between the countries. There is a need to move this theme higher up the priority list. International organizations report that the situation for victims has deteriorated as a result of the pandemic. Attention to human trafficking also fits into a human security approach in which attention is drawn to human dignity and the well-being of citizens. The issue of human trafficking is also important in connection with the ongoing crisis in Venezuela. In 2019 it was already indicated that there are weekly landings on the Leeward Islands of boats from Venezuela with refugees, weapons and drugs and this is still the case. To the list of problems from Venezuela must be added the growing influence of Venezuelan networks like Los Lobos.
As in 2019, it is recommended to try to gain insight into these Venezuelan networks through implementers and coordinators. They are a cause for concern. Coordinators are worth tackling for other reasons too. As emerged from the previous investigations, they allow transnational criminal operations to use the countries as transit countries. Their role has become stronger and so has the role of facilitators from the upper world. Intermediaries are an indispensable link in criminal processes. The good news is that, unlike the criminal leaders of transnational organizations, they are within easy reach of law enforcement agencies in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom and that there are also other instruments than just criminal law. Opportunities for an administrative approach exist in all countries.
It continues to be important to focus on the so-called centers of gravity. These are parts that are essential in the criminal system. When law enforcement agencies invest in this, it has a big impact overall. These include chokepoints such as ports and airports. If we succeed in strengthening border control with combined forces, this will make a substantial contribution to the fight against transnational crime in all its manifestations. Prisons may also be a focus, given the role they play in the creation and growth of megabanda in Venezuela and other countries. One could also think of tackling the economic weak spots of InSight Crime, such as Free Trade Zones.
The online gambling sector may also be seen as an economic weak spot. Combating financial economic crime and corruption are essential to prevent further undermining. But if one thing is important, especially in the current era, it is increasing the resilience of the countries. All parties have a role in the defense mechanisms that ensure that transnational crime and corruption do not find a breeding ground in the countries, such as political leadership and good governance, a strong rule of law, integrated and international cooperation, poverty reduction and a more equal distribution of wealth.