Antigua and Barbuda has recorded a lower-than-average level of organised crime exposure compared to its Caribbean neighbours, according to the 2025 Global Organised Crime Index, as reported by Antigua News Room.
The country received a criminality score of 3.03 on a 10-point scale, placing it among eight CARICOM member states that fall below the regional average of 4.27. Lower scores on the index indicate reduced exposure to organised crime networks and illicit markets.
The score positions Antigua and Barbuda alongside similarly ranked nations such as Barbados, which scored 2.90, and St. Kitts and Nevis at 3.10. By contrast, higher-risk jurisdictions within the bloc recorded significantly elevated scores — Jamaica at 5.93, Guyana at 5.78, and Haiti, which led the grouping with the highest criminality score of 6.53.
The index was published by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime and measures the prevalence and impact of criminal activity, including drug trafficking and other illicit markets across participating countries.
Despite its comparatively modest score, Antigua and Barbuda operates within a broader regional environment that remains a significant transit zone for cocaine trafficking. The Caribbean ranks third globally in that category, driven by its geographic position along established international smuggling routes.
The findings indicate that while Antigua and Barbuda is not insulated from regional organised crime pressures, its level of criminal market activity remains moderate within the Caribbean context.
