A major week of coordinated police operations in Aruba has resulted in three new criminal investigations involving illegal firearms. From November 10 to 14, detectives from across the Kingdom of the Netherlands joined forces to confront the rising issue of weapons trafficking in the Caribbean region.
For five days, analysts and investigators from Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, the Caribbean Netherlands, and the European Netherlands worked together in a shared operations center. Their mission was to map out how illegal firearms move between the islands. By combining local intelligence with international databases, teams gained sharper insight into the criminal networks behind these weapons.
Early findings reveal strong links between firearm trafficking and drug operations. Criminal groups often operate across multiple islands, using shared smuggling routes and intermediaries. The intelligence gathered during this operation is now contributing to existing investigations and has already triggered several new cases.
Aruba’s police chief, Ramon Arnhem, emphasized the importance of collaboration. The urgency was highlighted when a serious firearms incident occurred on the island during the operation itself.
The first pilot edition of this joint initiative was conducted in March as a trial. This second round has now demonstrated that a coordinated regional approach leads to concrete, actionable results. A follow-up session is planned for next year, with participation from CARICOM IMPACS to further strengthen the region’s response to firearms trafficking and organized crime.
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