Antigua and Barbuda remained on Tier 2 in the 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, which credited the government with increased investigations and assistance to potential victims but highlighted continuing gaps in prosecutions and victim identification.
The report said the government does not fully meet the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so. Its overall efforts increased compared with the previous reporting period.
Authorities reported investigating 12 trafficking cases, up from nine previously. Eight involved suspected sex trafficking, one concerned forced labor and three involved unspecified forms of trafficking. A previously initiated sex trafficking investigation also continued.
However, the government did not initiate any prosecutions for the sixth consecutive year and has never convicted a trafficker.
The report cited previously reported weaknesses in investigative capacity, including evidence collection and management, which have made bringing cases to prosecution difficult. Challenges protecting victim-witnesses in small Eastern Caribbean countries could also discourage victims from reporting crimes.
In 2025, authorities identified 15 potential victims and referred them to services during initial investigations and screening, compared with 13 in the previous reporting period. Authorities ultimately determined that 14 were not trafficking cases. One was referred to the sexual assault unit and remained under investigation.
The government has not identified a confirmed trafficking victim since 2019.
Although standard procedures existed to guide frontline officials in screening and identifying potential victims, the government did not report using them. Confusion between human trafficking and migrant smuggling also impeded identification, according to the report.
Available support included shelter, health care, counseling, legal services and repatriation assistance. The government spent EC$7,469 on victim care during initial investigations and screening but did not operate a dedicated trafficking shelter.
Prevention efforts increased slightly. The government allocated EC$365,332 for prevention, conducted public awareness activities and trained police, labor inspectors and medical professionals. It continued implementing its 2025 national action plan and drafted, but did not finalize, a plan for 2026-2029.
The report identified trafficking risks involving people in the adult entertainment industry, children working in construction, farming and mechanic shops, and young people vulnerable to forced criminal activity amid increased gang-related crime.
It also raised possible forced labor concerns involving Chinese nationals and Cuban government-affiliated medical workers, while noting that traffickers increasingly use emerging technologies to recruit victims.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Antigua and Barbuda Remains on Tier 2 Despite Increased Trafficking Investigations.