Trinidad and Tobago has retained its Tier Two ranking in the US Trafficking in Persons Report, despite increased government efforts to combat human trafficking.
The report states that while the country has made progress in prosecuting traffickers, it still does not fully meet the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking.
In 2025, authorities launched 79 investigations, prosecuted 13 suspects and secured one conviction, involving a former police officer sentenced to more than 16 years in prison.
However, the number of trafficking victims identified fell from 45 in 2024 to 26 in 2025, with most victims being Venezuelan women and girls.
The report also raised concerns about alleged police involvement in trafficking, weaknesses in evidence gathering, inadequate victim protection and limited oversight of labour recruiters.
Despite these challenges, the report acknowledged government efforts to strengthen anti-trafficking operations and improve victim support services.
