WILLEMSTAD - Curaçao is now officially participating in the cross-border exchange of DNA profiles with the Netherlands, Aruba and Sint Maarten, enabling police and prosecutors to directly query one another’s DNA databases in criminal investigations. The cooperation is laid out in a regulatory framework republished last week.

Under the arrangement, the four countries can compare DNA profiles from suspects and crime-scene evidence. When a match is found, the requesting country can submit a formal inquiry to obtain case details. The system includes strict protocols governing data security, privacy protections and oversight procedures. It also allows for the correction of erroneous DNA entries.

Strict Safeguards in Place

DNA comparisons may only be conducted for criminal investigations, and access to the databases is limited to specially authorized officials. Any matches that are shared between the four jurisdictions are subject to strict conditions and must be deleted after two years. Independent oversight bodies are required to file annual reports on how the system is being used.

Although the DNA-sharing agreement has existed since 2017, Curaçao republished the regulation to reaffirm that its cooperation in forensic data exchange remains current and fully operational. The move aligns with earlier commitments made among the four countries to strengthen mutual legal assistance and modernize investigative tools across the Kingdom.