Organized Crime in St. Kitts and Nevis: Challenges and Progress

Report Overview

The Global Organized Crime Index provides a comprehensive assessment of the country’s governance, law enforcement, economic environment, and social protection. This report highlights key findings on organized crime in St. Kitts and Nevis.

Key Findings

Money Laundering

St. Kitts and Nevis is vulnerable to financial crimes, particularly tax evasion.
Strong bank-secrecy laws and lack of transparency regarding legal entities facilitate money laundering.
The country remains at risk due to its strict secrecy laws and limited beneficial ownership transparency.

Corruption

Corruption is a challenge in St. Kitts and Nevis despite the presence of anti-corruption laws.
The government’s National Security Strategy aims to eradicate corruption in the private sector, launched in January 2021.

Justice System

The justice system is independent and not affected by high levels of corruption.
However, investigations and successful prosecutions against organized crime groups are rare.

Law Enforcement

The police enjoy good public trust, but there are indications that law enforcement may be influenced by the political elite.

Economic Environment

An operational financial intelligence unit exists in St. Kitts and Nevis.
Despite this, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering due to its strict secrecy laws and lack of transparency regarding beneficial ownership.

Victim and witness protection is minimal in St. Kitts and Nevis.
Prevention programs aimed at tackling the root causes of crime have yielded positive results in reducing the homicide rate.

Conclusion

While St. Kitts and Nevis has made progress in addressing organized crime, it still faces significant challenges, particularly in areas related to money laundering and corruption.