Shervon Matthieu has been selected as Saint Lucia Daily Post’s Person of the Year for 2025 in recognition of his leadership during a year that saw sustained arrests, major drug interdictions, firearm recoveries, and measurable disruption of organized criminal activity across Saint Lucia.
Throughout 2025, Saint Lucia Daily Post’s crime reporting repeatedly documented the outcomes of intelligence-led operations executed by the Gangs, Narcotics and Firearms Unit (GNFU) North and South, reflecting a year of consistent enforcement rather than isolated breakthroughs. Matthieu has consistently emphasized that these results were the product of disciplined teamwork, coordinated planning, and inter-agency cooperation, rather than individual achievement.
Among the most significant developments were historic narcotics interdictions that targeted trafficking routes feeding the local drug trade. These included the seizure of over 196 kilograms of cocaine during a major maritime operation and the interception of more than 126 kilograms of cannabis resin concealed within shipments entering the island through official ports. With a combined estimated street value exceeding EC$6 million, the operations disrupted supply chains that had long exploited national entry points.
Investigations focused on strategic locations such as the General Post Office and port sheds, where officers uncovered narcotics hidden within food items, electronics, and commercial goods. These discoveries resulted in multiple arrests and exposed the level of sophistication employed by traffickers, many of which were later detailed in SLDP’s ongoing coverage of organized crime cases.
The year was also marked by a sustained response to gun violence. Through targeted searches, intelligence-driven patrols, and coordinated island-wide operations, officers recovered numerous illegal firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, developments that featured prominently in SLDP reports as authorities worked to reduce armed crime and improve public safety.
These outcomes, Matthieu says were driven by the dedication of frontline officers and investigators who distinguished themselves through professionalism and precision, from the GNFU supported by specialized units. These include the Special Operations (Team SOT ) and the Special Services Unit (SSU) Additional support from the Southern Tactical Team and the Central Intelligence Unit strengthened operations through intelligence analysis and operational reinforcement.
A defining factor in several high-value interdictions was the close collaboration with the Customs and Excise Department which played a critical role in identifying suspicious shipments and translating intelligence into arrests and seizures at the nation’s borders.
In naming Shervon Matthieu as our Person of the Year for 2025, Saint Lucia Daily Post recognizes not only individual leadership, but a coordinated law-enforcement effort that delivered sustained, measurable impact and reshaped the national crime landscape over the past year.
