In Haiti, the number of illicit firearms originating from the United States could reach 500,000

The number of firearms originating from the United States and circulating illicitly in Haiti is estimated to be between 270,000 and 500,000, a reality that has kept the Caribbean nation plagued by high levels of gang-related violence.

“Criminal gangs use a wide range of firearms and ammunition in Haiti. These include AKM and AR-15 assault rifles, as well as AK-308 rifles, FN FAL, Galil, H&K G3, BM59 Beretta, and VZ58,” according to reports presented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to the United Nations Security Council.

Recently, media outlets reported on the trafficking of the Barrett M82 anti-materiel rifle, chambered for the .50 caliber BMG.

Currently, the acquisition of rifles and large-caliber ammunition is a matter of concern, as earlier documents noted a growing number of weapons in 7.62 x 39 millimeters (mm), 7.62 x 51 mm, and 12.7 x 99 mm circulating in Haiti.

These weapons, Le Nouvelliste points out, can result in higher rates of death and severe injuries.

The majority of firearms in circulation are illegal and are primarily in the hands of criminals, though other private actors, including security companies, also possess them.

The use of these weapons, the newspaper stressed, has fueled a destructive cycle of violence in Haiti, leading to grave human rights violations.

“The proliferation and use of firearms and ammunition, including by gangs, have a significant impact on the enjoyment of civil and political rights, as well as economic, social, and cultural rights,” the source states.

Arms and ammunition trafficking in Haiti is linked to regional and subregional dynamics, where illicit firearms are an increasing concern.

This scourge is often tied to other gang-related activities, such as drug trafficking, which further fuels insecurity and violence in the region.

Trafficking routes supplying gangs in Haiti pass through several countries in the Americas, including Colombia, the Dominican Republic, the United States, the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime told the Security Council that there is a persistent flow of firearms from the United States, particularly Florida, into Haiti.