Which Caribbean islands are major transshipment hubs for cocaine from Venezuela to the United States?
Executive summary
Caribbean islands most frequently identified in recent reporting and government analyses as major transshipment hubs for cocaine linked to Venezuela and onward routes include the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Aruba, Curaçao, and parts of the Eastern Caribbean; U.S. and international sources note the Dominican Republic seized roughly 248 tons over five years and the Caribbean accounted for a third of recent Coast Guard high‑seas cocaine seizures [1] [2]. U.S. government and policy analysts also single out Guyana, Suriname and the Dutch and French Caribbean territories as important nodes for transatlantic flows to Europe, while U.S. agencies emphasize that the majority of U.S.-bound maritime cocaine actually moves via the Eastern Pacific [3] [4] [1] [5].
1. Island by island: who comes up most in official and investigative reporting
Reporting and policy papers repeatedly name the Dominican Republic and Haiti as prominent Caribbean transshipment points — Dominican authorities report large commercial‑port seizures (about 248 tonnes over five years, per the Dominican Foreign Ministry) and the UN called a 2025 seizure off Haiti’s coast evidence of that country’s “pivotal” role [1] [6]. Analysts and interdiction releases also single out Aruba and Curaçao — Dutch Caribbean territories used for onward shipments to the Netherlands — and the French and British overseas islands as convenient platforms for movement to Europe [7] [4] [8].
2. Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad: continental neighbours functioning like islands
Guyana and Suriname are frequently described in U.S. Treasury and policy reporting as transshipment corridors from southern Venezuela and Colombia toward Caribbean departure points; OFAC and Treasury actions in 2025 cite Guyana as a staging area and note seizures involving vessels linked to Trinidad and Tobago waters [3] [9]. Analysts stress that Guyana’s riverine and coastal routes feed both Caribbean and transatlantic chains [3].
3. Europe’s overseas territories change the calculus
Policy analysis from CSIS and mapping work show European possessions in the Caribbean (French, Dutch, British territories) are attractive for traffickers moving cocaine to Europe because they provide direct legal‑jurisdiction links and regular commercial traffic that can mask shipments; CSIS specifically lists the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Suriname among key transshipment players in the region [4] [7].
4. Two markets, two dominant routes: U.S. vs. Europe
Multiple sources caution against a single‑route narrative: U.S. and U.N. data indicate most maritime cocaine bound for the U.S. travels the Eastern Pacific rather than the Caribbean, while the Caribbean remains a vital hub for shipments destined for Europe and for regional redistribution [1] [5] [10]. The DEA’s 2019/2020 estimates put roughly 8 percent of U.S.-bound cocaine through a Caribbean corridor (primarily from Venezuela) while SOUTHCOM has said roughly 80 percent of U.S.-bound flow goes the Eastern Pacific [5] [10].
5. Shifting tactics and local dynamics — corruption, weak enforcement, and adaptation
Experts and government audits repeatedly note that weak governance, corruption, and limited interdiction capacity in parts of the Caribbean make islands attractive transshipment points; this explains why traffickers shift routes when pressure increases [4] [2] [11]. Reports also document traffickers using more covert methods — hiding loads in commercial shipments, using narco‑subs, and exploiting small airports — which complicates attribution of specific island roles [1] [4] [3].
6. Recent events changed perceptions but not the whole picture
High‑profile U.S. strikes and seizures off Venezuela and in Caribbean waters in 2025 focused attention on routes linking Venezuela to islands such as the Dominican Republic and Haiti; U.S. military and Treasury actions named networks that used Guyana and Trinidad/Tobago waters, but independent experts and UN analyses emphasize that these are only parts of a wider, adaptable trafficking system [3] [1] [6].
7. What sources disagree about (and why it matters)
U.S. political rhetoric has sometimes framed the Caribbean—and Venezuela—as the primary conduit for cocaine to the U.S., but multiple analyses and UN/U.S. data show the Eastern Pacific and routes via Mexico dominate U.S.-bound flows; at the same time, Caribbean islands are central to transatlantic flows and to regional redistribution, so both claims contain elements of truth depending on which destination (U.S. vs Europe) and which timeframe you examine [1] [5] [10].
Limitations and next steps for readers: available sources used here do not provide a definitive ranked list of “major” islands by tonnage for a single year; interdiction numbers are influenced by enforcement intensity and reporting differences, not only trafficking volumes [2] [4]. For policymakers or investigators seeking operational clarity, the best next steps are review of UNODC seizure maps and recent DEA/SOUTHCOM reports and cross‑referencing national seizure tallies [12] [5].