The trafficking of firearms from Miami, Florida to Haiti is one of the reasons for the escalating of crime and violence in Haiti. The gangs are heavily armed.
The Dominican Republic spends millions in combatting smuggling of people and drugs to the United States. Now the Dominican government is asking the US to do the same and curb smuggling of firearms to Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Firearms trafficking is seen as one of the main drivers of the Caribbean’s soaring violence, with Haiti reaching a breaking point. The country not only currently faces a catastrophic humanitarian situation and gang-related violence but also a firearms crisis created and fueled by transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) operating in and around Haiti and threatening the security of neighboring countries, according to Felix Martinez, Florida International University Intel Fellow, Security Research Hub.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has acknowledged a substantial increase in weapons illegally trafficked into Haiti and the Caribbean.
The Dominican government has requested greater cooperation from the United States to control the smuggling of weapons and ammunition from that territory.
Interior and Police Minister Jesús Vásquez Martínez has pointed out that the US authorities need to instate greater controls in their ports and airports, leaving their territory towards the Dominican Republic to stop this illicit trafficking.
The official gave as an example the large investment and great efforts made by the Dominican Government to contain drug trafficking to the United States.
He pointed out that illegal weapons are one of the most used elements in criminal activities. Almost all of the smuggled weapons and ammunition seized by Dominican customs come from the United States.
In the 37 months of this administration, the Dominican Customs Agency has seized 2.27 million ammunition units smuggled into the country.
This level of seizures represents 187% compared to the same previous period. These figures may result from greater efficiency in Dominican customs controls or an intensification of ammunition trafficking or both factors simultaneously, as reported in El Dia.
The Customs Agency attributes this to the joint effort and collaboration of various State institutions and the non-intrusive technology implemented in customs security operations.
The director of Customs, Eduardo Sanz Lovatón, explains that the J2, the National Investigation Department (DNI), the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) and the departments of the Ministry of Defense work to detect this type of contraband.
He understands that implementing the X-ray system for the inspection of merchandise has also made it possible to detect a greater amount of contraband into the Dominican Republic but similar controls are not in place in Haiti. Firearms are also smuggled from Haiti over the almost 400 km border.
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El Dia
UN News
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Dialogo Americas
4 October 2023