The trade in firearms and drug trafficking exacerbate the security crisis in Haiti

Trade in increasingly sophisticated and large-caliber firearms and ammunition in Haiti continues to rise, according to a new assessment by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), presented this Friday.

The agency supports the finding in a report from the Secretary General to the Security Council detailing the high level of violence perpetrated by Haitian gangs and the recent increase in firearms seizures, along with intelligence and law enforcement reports suggesting an increase in firearms trafficking .

The Office’s evaluation also details that the Caribbean nation continues to be a transit country for drugs, mainly cocaine and cannabis, which enter by ship or plane in public, private and informal ports, as well as clandestine routes.

The head of UNODC’s research and trend analysis branch, Angela Me, stressed that the “UNODC study seeks to shed light on trade patterns that favor the existence of gangs in Haiti and encourage greater violence in a volatile situation.” .

A border with difficult police and customs control

Haiti’s borders are especially permeable as it has 1,771 kilometers of coastline and a 392-kilometre boundary on land with the neighboring Dominican Republic.

This vast geographical area tests the effectiveness of the national police, customs, border patrols and coast guard, which are under-resourced and under-staffed, and at the same time targeted by gangs.

The UNODC document also gives an overview of international, regional and national responses to this situation to date, citing in particular initiatives aimed at increasing support for law enforcement and border management.

Furthermore, it stresses the need for holistic approaches that include investments in community policing, reform of the criminal justice system and the fight against corruption.