(2025-06) Rapport trimestriel de l'ONUDC au Conseil de sécurité, juin 2025
Resume — Ce rapport de l'Office des Nations Unies contre la drogue et le crime (ONUDC) couvre la période de mars à juin 2025, détaillant l'escalade de la violence des gangs et l'instabilité en Haïti. Il met en évidence l'expansion des groupes criminels, l'utilisation de frappes de drones explosifs par les forces de sécurité et les défis rencontrés par la Mission multinationale d'appui à la sécurité.
Constats Cles
- Les groupes criminels contrôlent environ 90 % de la zone métropolitaine de Port-au-Prince et étendent leur influence à l'échelle nationale.
- Les forces de sécurité haïtiennes utilisent des attaques de drones meurtrières contre des groupes criminels présumés.
- La Mission multinationale d'appui à la sécurité est confrontée à des difficultés en raison d'un soutien international limité.
- Une affaire de trafic d'armes transnational relie les États-Unis, la République dominicaine et Haïti.
- Il y a de plus en plus de signalements de traite des personnes à des fins de prélèvement d'organes.
Description Complete
Le rapport de l'ONUDC, soumis en application des résolutions 2692 (2023) et 2743 (2024) du Conseil de sécurité, examine les sources et les itinéraires des flux financiers et d'armes illicites en Haïti de mars à juin 2025. Il constate que les groupes criminels organisés contrôlent la majeure partie de Port-au-Prince et s'étendent à d'autres régions, exploitant la faible capacité de l'État. Les forces de sécurité haïtiennes ont intensifié l'utilisation de frappes de drones explosifs contre les groupes criminels, tandis que la Mission multinationale d'appui à la sécurité est confrontée à des difficultés. Le rapport examine également une affaire de trafic d'armes transnational impliquant les États-Unis, la République dominicaine et Haïti, et passe en revue la traite des personnes, le prélèvement d'organes, les expulsions et les déplacements. La désignation des gangs haïtiens comme organisations terroristes par les États-Unis et la République dominicaine marque un tournant important.
Texte Integral du Document
Texte extrait du document original pour l'indexation.
United Nations S/2025/420
Security Council
Distr.: General
27 June 2025
Original: English
25-09659 (E) 090725
*2509659*
Letter dated 26 June 2025 from the Secretary-General addressed
to the President of the Security Council
I have the honour to transmit to you the eighth quarterly report of the United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, pursuant to paragraph 9 of Security Council
resolution 2692 (2023) as reiterated by the Council in paragraph 19 of Security
Council resolution 2743 (2024). The report includes the requested updated
information on the sources and routes of arms trafficking and illicit financial flows,
and on relevant United Nations activities and recommendations.
I should be grateful if you would have the present document brought to the
attention of the members of the Security Council and issued as a document of the
Council.
(Signed) António Guterres
S/2025/420
25-09659 2/20
Report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime pursuant
to paragraph 9 of Security Council resolution 2692 (2023)
I. Introduction
1. The present report is submitted pursuant to paragraph 9 of Security Council
resolution 2692 (2023) as renewed by paragraph 19 of Security Council resolution
2743 (2024). Specifically, the Security Council tasked the United Nations Office on
Drugs and Crime (UNODC) with reporting to the Council every three months,
concurrently with the reporting cycle of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti
(BINUH), through the Secretary-General, on sources and routes of illicit arms and
financial flows and on relevant United Nations activities and recommendations.
UNODC has submitted seven reports to the Security Council since July 2023. The
present report covers the period from March to June 2025, a period of increased gang
violence and instability coupled with territorial expansion across three departments
in Haiti.
2. In the report, UNODC finds that organized criminal groups now control most of
Port-au-Prince and have expanded into other regions, exploiting weak State capacity
and even providing rudimentary services, attempting to fill the vacuum of State
presence. In response, Haitian security forces have intensified the use of explosive
drone strikes against organized criminal groups, while the partially deployed
Multinational Security Support Mission is experiencing difficulties owing to limited
international support, affecting overall coordination, personnel deployment,
financing and logistics. Private security companies and vigilantes are also stepping
into the vacuum, with some implicated in arms diversion. In the report, UNODC
considers a recent high-profile transnational arms trafficking case linking the United
States of America, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, and its wider implications. It
also reviews the dynamics of trafficking in persons, organ harvesting, deportations
and displacement. The designation of a number of Haitian gangs as terrorist
organizations by the United States and the Dominican Republic marks a significant
shift, although any enforcement must be balanced with safeguards.
II. Escalating gang violence and police response
3. The security landscape in Haiti continued to deteriorate from March to June 2025.
According to local analysts, criminal groups now control an estimated 90 per cent of
metropolitan Port-au-Prince and have increased their influence throughout the country.
1
While dramatically expanding lethal drone attacks against suspected criminal groups,
security forces have been hampered by shortages in equipment, funding and
personnel. Meanwhile, just over 1,000 personnel associated with the Multinational
Security Support Mission have been deployed, less than half of the number initially
pledged. There are persistent concerns about their uneven operational effectiveness
linked to continued disagreements over mission leadership, limited resources and
logistical challenges.
2
__________________
1
See https://news.sky.com/story/90-of-port-au-prince-controlled-by-gangs-as-thousands-forced-
into-heaving-displacement-camps-13368885.
2
See https://globalinitiative.net/analysis/haiti-kenya-mission-paralyzed/; and
www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/04/21/haiti-near-point-of-no-return-as-gang-
violence-spirals-un-envoy-warns_6740471_4.html.
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Map 1
Expansion of criminal groups across Port-au-Prince from March to June 2025
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Map 2
Expansion of criminal groups across the Port-au-Prince area from March to June 2025
4. Criminal groups have also steadily extended their efforts to control strategic
areas and cities, linking the capital to other important cities, land border crossings
and ports in and outside Port-au-Prince (see map 1). For example, on 26 April, two
police officers and armed individuals were killed in Canapé Vert, one of the
neighbourhoods not controlled by armed gangs.
3
Two days earlier, gangs killed at
least four soldiers and four armed individuals working with law enforcement in
Kenscoff.
4
According to human rights organizations, at least 35 suspected members
of the Viv Ansanm gang coalition were killed and another 40 wounded during clashes
with Haitian police in Pacot on 30 April. Thousands of residents of Port-au-Prince
took to the streets in April to protest spiralling gang violence.
5
5. The task force created to combat armed gangs destabilizing Port-au-Prince
accelerated operations with loitering munitions in and around Port-au-Prince
throughout the reporting period.
6
Recently, several drone attacks targeting gang
__________________
3
See https://apnews.com/article/haiti-gangs-canape-vert-police-8ae266fadfb1656fdb80a44430e83d83.
4
This wealthy community on the outskirts of the capital has suffered repeated attacks since
January. Approximately 100 men targeted Pétion-Ville and killing Kenscoff residents on
27 January 2025. According to news sources, more than 262 people have been killed in
Kenscoff as at the end of March 2025, including 147 gang members.
5
See https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/thousands-haitians-take-streets-protest-surging-
gang-violence-2025-04-03/.
6
In early 2025, the transitional government of Haiti created a special task force under the Prime
Minister to combat armed gangs destabilizing Port-au-Prince. The unit operates separately from
the national police and focuses on reclaiming gang-controlled areas. It forms part of broader
emergency efforts to restore State authority and public safety. See
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/04/10/haiti-government-drones-gangs/.
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leaders were reported.
7
On 5 May, the task force targeted the Gran Ravine gang,
resulting in an estimated 17 deaths and 40 injuries. On 7 May, the Haitian National
Police deployed eight explosive drones against gang members in Village-de-Dieu, a
gang redoubt in the centre of the capital. Another strike on 20 May targeting the head
of Gran Ravine killed as many as 25 gang members and injured 40 more. On 25 May,
more drones were launched against suspected gang members in the same area.
8
Haitian police also initiated operations in Pernier in Pétion-Ville, targeting the leader
of the Kraze Barye gang.
9
Organized criminal groups have increasingly employed the
full range of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities – including the
use of drones for situational awareness and target monitoring. Notably, the 5 Segond
gang reportedly utilized such tactics during its attack on the central penitentiary in
early March.
6. Outside Port-au-Prince, violence and gang influence have spread into border
and coastal areas. For example, regions such as Malpasse on the border with the
Dominican Republic are registering gang encroachment and police and civilian-led
reprisals. On 23 May, a criminal group stormed the customs offices on the Haitian-
Dominican border, supposedly as retribution for the seizure of illegal batteries. The
attackers reportedly assaulted customs officers, ransacked offices and stole several
trucks. The border post was still under the control of the attackers as at mid-June.
7. Southern Haiti, traditionally more insulated from gang violence, has also
experienced a surge in gang-related incidents. In Saint-Louis du Sud, a major police
operation neutralized two influential gang suspects connected to the Simon Pelé gang.
Localized successes, however, are overshadowed by broader territorial losses to gangs
in other parts of the country. For example, on 21 May, an armed assault occurred
against the Government Commissioner of Les Cayes, who narrowly survived.
8. Meanwhile, on 17 May, Dominican Republic authorities conducted a major drug
seizure operation close to the southern border of Haiti. Dominican law enforcement
officers intercepted a truck near the Haitian frontier with more than 2.6 metric tons
of marijuana and 11 kg of a cocaine-like substance.
10
Ongoing investigations suggest
that the shipment was part of a wider transnational drug trafficking operation
exploiting maritime and land routes connecting the Caribbean and Hispaniola.
11
The
seizure is one of several large interdictions in recent months. On 25 May, Nippes
__________________
7
The Prime Minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, later confirmed that the strike took place in the Bas
Delmas 6 neighbourhood.
8
Haitian police also initiated operations in Pernier in Pétion-Ville, targeting the gang led by
Vitelhomme Innocent. The operations included the use of drones and resulted in the capture of
military equipment. See www.halofirm.com/news/weekly-report-may-20-to-may-27.
9
In mid-February, the Kraze Barye gang executed dozens of people. The massacre was
supposedly ordered by Vitelhomme Innocent.
10
Estimated local market value (Dominican Republic):
Marijuana: $200–$300/kg (wholesale/street price) = $520,000–$780,000
Cocaine-like substance (assuming cocaine or a similar stimulant): $15,000–$20,000/kg =
$165,000–$220,000
Total estimated value (Dominican Republic): $685,000–$1 million.
Estimated destination market value (Europe):
Marijuana: $2,000–$3,000/kg = $5.2–$7.8 million
Cocaine-like substance: $35,000–45,000/kg (varies by country) = $385,000–$495,000
Total estimated value (Europe): $5.6–$8.3 million
See https://dncd.gob.do/categoria/Noticias/cargamento-de-marihuana-ocupado-en-pedernales-
tuvo-peso-de-5-937-libras.
11
Information received by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) from the
Specialized Land Border Security Corps (Cuerpo Especializado de Seguridad Fronteriza
Terrestre – CESFRONT) in the Dominican Republic.
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police in Haiti and the counter-narcotics officials (Brigade de lutte contre le trafic de
stupéfiants – BLTS) also arrested two individuals suspected of trafficking 44 kg of
marijuana in Saint Michel du Sud, in the commune of Miragoâne.
9. The usage of drones by the security forces has significantly increased since
March 2025. The government task force posted videos showing apparent drone strikes
targeting gang members, although footage has since been removed and the account
deleted.
12
Human rights organizations have documented the expanded use of drones
targeting gangs across Port-au-Prince.
13
Unverified media reports suggest that drone-
related attacks have resulted in 250–300 fatalities and more than 300 injuries among
gang members during the reporting period. Evidence of new and more powerful
drones has likewise emerged. While welcoming the increased actions against criminal
organizations, some civil society groups have urged the Haitian National Police, the
Haitian Armed Forces (Forces Armées d’Haïti – FADH) and the task force to prevent
casualties among the population. The lack of a clear legal framework governing drone
operations and military-style engagements in civilian settings adds urgency to the
need for comprehensive legislative oversight.
10. The Government of Haiti appears to be expanding investments in security
operations. In early 2025, media reported that, in a revised national budget, 36 billion
gourdes ($276 million) had been allocated to the country’s security forces for the
following term.
14
Specifically, the Haitian National Police is expected to receive 28
billion gourdes ($214.1 million), and the Haitian Armed Forces were allocated almost
7 billion gourdes ($53.5 million). The decision to bolster funding reflects a strategic
shift for the Haitian National Police to expand operational capacities, including
additional recruitment, procurement of equipment and comprehensive training
programmes. The Haitian Armed Forces are also expected to reinforce logistical
infrastructure and readiness to support domestic security operations. The effective use
of these funds requires transparent governance and strong oversight mechanisms.
Political economy of gang violence
11. As organized crime groups expand their territorial control in Port-au-Prince and
other municipalities, some are establishing a form of “parallel governance”.
15
Armed
gangs not only exert control through violence but also provide public services such
as protection, street cleaning, evening classes and dispute resolution in areas where
governmental presence is minimal or absent. This shift has been documented by
non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which highlight the growing influence of
criminal networks in local governance.
16
12. Extortion cases are increasing, affecting both individuals and businesses. Local
markets, transportation hubs and shipping corridors are subject to illicit tariffs. The
“Madan Sara”, women who transport food across regions, report being extorted at
multiple checkpoints, sometimes paying up to 20 per cent of their goods’ value to
__________________
12
See www.abcactionnews.com/haiti/haitian-police-appear-to-use-drones-in-fight-against-gangs.
13
The National Human Rights Defense Network (Réseau national de défense des droits humains –
RNDDH) collected testimonies of drone use in Delmas 6, Wharf Jérémie and Bel Air, resulting
in at least 20 deaths and 30 injuries. Drone attacks have also reportedly been carried out in
Grande Ravine, Kraze Barye, Chen Mechan and Village de Dieu.
14
See https://lenouvelliste.com/article/253370/budget-rectificatif-35-milliards-de-gourdes-pour-
les-forces-de-securite; and https://lenouvelliste.com/article/253448/35-milliards-de-gourdes-
pour-la-pnh-et-les-fadh. See also Le Moniteur, https://budget.gouv.ht/web/index.php/decret-
etablissant-le-budget-general-de-la-republique-dhaiti-exercice-2024-2025.
15
See https://globalinitiative.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Last-chance-Breaking-Haitis-
political-and-criminal-impasse-GI-TOC-January-2025.pdf.
16
Ibid.
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reach the market. This has been corroborated by media reports which detail the
financial burdens placed on traders, transporters and wider markets.
17
13. The social and economic implications of contested and parallel governance
exerted by criminal organizations are profound. As gang control over trade routes
tightens, legal imports and exports have been significantly disrupted. Container traffic
at the Port-au-Prince terminal has reportedly declined owing to civil unrest and gang
activity.
18
Trucking firms and shipping companies now factor in extortion fees and
longer delays, while fuel and food imports face routine hijackings.
14. These disruptions are contributing to increasing costs for goods and services.
Rice, a staple food, has seen prices rise by more than 30 per cent since 2022, and
cooking fuel now trades at up to $5 a gallon on the black market. Organized crime
groups manipulate supply chains to hoard and resell goods at inflated prices,
exacerbating food insecurity and economic hardship for the population. Higher
transaction costs have also been introduced at border controls in the Dominican
Republic, affecting the flow of products across the frontier and increasing
opportunities for (legal and illegal) arbitrage.
15. Security and insurance premiums have also spiralled upward. Shipping costs
have doubled in just a year. According to the Association des Assureurs d’Haïti
(AAH), coverage for logistics firms operating in gang-controlled areas is very
difficult to obtain. Shipping and logistics companies report that they are under- or
uninsured. In parallel, several international airlines conducting sporadic cargo flights
to Haiti have reportedly had to secure additional “war insurance” owing to the
elevated security risks and lack of standard coverage options. According to UNODC
informants, some Haitian banks have also reportedly started requesting business
owners to acquire terrorism insurance, which risks raising costs and running some
companies out of business. Global risk analysts have also noted similar trends,
underlining the broader implications of instability for marine insurance markets.
19
Designation of gangs as foreign terrorist organizations
16. On 2 May 2025, the United States designated several Haitian armed gangs as
terrorist organizations.
20
Specifically, Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif were designated as
“foreign terrorist organizations” and “specially designated global terrorists”. These
measures are intended to disrupt the financial networks and degrade the operational
capabilities of these criminal groups. As a result, individuals and entities providing
support or resources to the designated entities may be subject to criminal charges
under United States law, asset freezing and decisions related to admissibility and
removal from the United States.
21
The Dominican Republic, which also designated
__________________
17
The criminal tariffs imposed on the “Madan Sara” affected not only their movements, their
destinations and their locations but, most particularly, the quality of their goods. The informant
also mentioned that, with the number of pay stations created by the criminal groups, many of the
merchants are forced to abandon their trades and return with their merchandise when fees
exceed the value of the goods. Informant KI#6, interviewed on 31 May 2025.
18
See https://north-standard.com/insights-and-resources/resources/news/haiti-civil-unrest-
affecting-port-operations.
19
See www.eiu.com/n/war-risks-raise-marine-insurance-premiums/. Interview conducted by
UNODC with informant KI#7 on 28 May 2025.
20
See https://ht.usembassy.gov/designation-of-viv-ansanm-and-gran-grif/.
21
See www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article304464536.html;
www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article305515216.html; and
www.reuters.com/world/us/us-designates-haitian-gang-alliance-viv-ansanm-transnational-
terrorist-group-2025-05-02/.
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some Haitian criminal groups as terrorist organizations, could also enact and enforce
laws that target the same gangs.
22
17. The designation of Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif as foreign terrorist organizations
constitutes a significant escalation in United States efforts to counter organized crime
in Haiti and internationally. However, such designations would be effective only if
they are part of a broader cohesive strategy and can also generate unintended
outcomes, including additional legal, criminal justice and operational complexities
for humanitarian, commercial and international actors. For example, reports have
already started emerging that gangs are increasing extortion fees in response to these
designations. There are also fears that sanctions could disrupt fuel and other
deliveries, pushing transportation and other sectors to collapse.
23
18. The designation process for terrorist organizations should ensure that all
measures taken to address security concerns are in line with relevant obligations under
international law, including international human rights law and, as applicable,
international humanitarian law, mitigating any potential adverse effects on the
population, including the wider aid sector. Additional exemptions or arrangements
could be included in the relevant framework to ensure that humanitarian, development
or civil society organizations are able to work in a rule of law-based legal and
procedural framework and in line with principles of humanitarian action.
Growing influence of private security companies
19. Private security companies have expanded significantly in Haiti over the past
decade, at least partly in response to the intensification of criminal violence and
shortfalls in public security. The sector’s evolution can be understood through three
generic tiers of deployment. The first tier involves the use of private security
guards – primarily Haitian nationals – employed by local businesses to protect
commercial facilities and staff. Their duties are typically static. The legal frameworks
governing their activities, based on a 1988 decree and a 1989 amendment, limit their
weaponry to handguns and shotguns.
24
Nonetheless, field reports consistently
highlight the use of higher-calibre weaponry.
25
Some firms are also alleged to have
forged informal agreements with local gang commanders to secure safe passage in
contested areas and to have provided weapons to criminal groups.
26
20. The second tier includes national and international security firms contracted by
foreign embassies, international missions and some larger businesses and NGOs.
27
These companies offer specialized services such as risk assessments, convoy escorts,
high-risk evacuations and executive protection. Investigative reports indicate that these
companies frequently employ high-calibre firearms, exceeding legal limits.
28
They also
__________________
22
See https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias/presidente-abinader-declara-las-bandas-criminales-
haitianas-como-organizaciones; and https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/haiti-gangs-us-
terrorism-designation-risks-harming-most-vulnerable-ngos-warn-2025-05-08/.
23
See www.eepa.be/haiti-blackout-ends-after-security-promises-gang-leader-joly-convicted-in-u-
s-questions-rise-over-new-draft-constitution/; and https://reliefweb.int/report/haiti/haiti-how-us-
terrorist-designations-could-deepen-criminal-rule-and-humanitarian-tragedy.
24
Only half of their staff can be armed, and licences must be approved by the Ministry of the
Interior and monitored by the Haitian National Police. See https://www.unodc.org/documents/
data-and-analysis/toc/Haiti_assessment_UNODC.pdf.
25
Ibid.
26
See S/2024/704.
27
See www.americasquarterly.org/article/flows-of-guns-and-money-are-dooming-haiti/.
28
See https://news.un.org/en/interview/2025/04/1162396; www.nytimes.com/2025/03/30/us/haiti-
gangs-guns-smuggling.html; and www.americasquarterly.org/article/flows-of-guns-and-money-
are-dooming-haiti/.
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reportedly engage in tactical agreements with gang leaders to ensure operational
security, raising questions about complicity in undermining State authority.
29
21. The third tier comprises private military companies contracted directly by Haitian
authorities or international partners to support law enforcement and protect critical
assets. These entities have been deployed in tactical and operational roles – often
alongside or in parallel to police operations – and in some cases may be tasked with
providing direct support to anti-gang operations. As reported by international media,
there is confirmation of United States-based private military contractors operating in
Haiti since March 2025.
30
In late May 2025, some of these companies emerged as
supporting Haitian police by deploying surveillance equipment and providing tactical
support, including loitering munitions.
31
Reports have also suggested that such
companies sent a “large cache of weapons” to Haiti in April 2025.
32
22. The expansion of the private security industry in Haiti has increased demand for
military-grade weapons, body armour, ammunition and tactical equipment.
33
Official
regulations authorize only small-calibre weapons for private firms, yet UNODC
witnesses have confirmed that companies routinely deploy 5.56mm rifles and even
heavier 7.62x39mm assault rifles. These breaches of regulatory frameworks highlight
institutional weaknesses but also the active participation of corrupt officials and
organized criminal networks in facilitating illicit arms markets.
23. The lack of regulatory oversight over private security companies has facilitated
the diversion of weapons to criminal groups, including gangs.
34
The United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights observed that firearms trafficked into Haiti are
also trafficked and sold by private security companies.
35
Media-led investigations
likewise corroborate that criminal groups obtain weapons through both theft and
collusion with private security firms. The intersection of private security operations
and organized crime poses a significant threat to stability. Research over the past year
reveals a troubling dynamic: some security firms routinely navigate operational
challenges by directly negotiating with gang commanders. Tactical agreements can
legitimize criminal leaders and entrench gang influence in urban neighbourhoods.
24. Meanwhile, the security vacuum in Haiti has also stimulated the emergence and
militarization of “vigilante” or self-defence groups. Initially organized to protect
neighbourhoods against gang incursions, many of these groups were armed only with
machetes or rudimentary tools. However, since early 2023, a number of them have
gained access to small arms and light weapons, likely through illicit markets, direct
donations from sympathetic actors or theft from police and private holdings. These
groups, while sometimes seen by local populations as protective forces, increasingly
present law enforcement and human rights challenges owing to their growing
firepower, lack of accountability and involvement in extrajudicial actions.
36
__________________
29
See S/2024/704.
30
See www.nytimes.com/2025/05/28/us/haiti-erik-prince-blackwater-gangs.html.
31
The company is also expected to send up to 150 personnel in the summer. See
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/28/us/haiti-erik-prince-blackwater-gangs.html.
32
Ibid.
33
See A/HRC/58/76 (advance unedited version), available at www.ohchr.org/en/documents/
country-reports/ahrc5876-situation-human-rights-haiti-report-united-nations-high.
34
See www.cigionline.org/publications/private-security-public-good-regulating-private-security-
industry-haiti; and https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/toc/Haiti_assessment_
UNODC.pdf.
35
See A/HRC/58/76 (see footnote 32).
36
See https://acleddata.com/conflict-watchlist-2024/haiti/; and www.reuters.com/world/
americas/haitis-deadly-vigilante-movement-sees-decline-gang-violence-report-2023-05-28/.
Also worth noting are the extrajudicial killings by self-defence brigades that took place in a
church in Préval, Artibonite, in early June.
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Mirebalais firearms trafficking case
25. A recent firearms trafficking incident involving smugglers operating across the
Dominican Republic Haiti and the United States highlights the transnational nature
of weapons and ammunition flows. The so-called “Mirebalais case” reveals the scale
and scope of a deal, as well as its dramatic aftermath. As detailed in a previous
UNODC report, the criminal network first procured firearms in the United States.
According to investigations, the alleged buyers had direct ties to individuals in Miami
(United States), Belladère (Centre Department of Haiti) and Santo Domingo
(Dominican Republic).
37
Weapons were then shipped from Florida aboard a cargo
ship registered under the Honduran flag. The shipment transited through the port of
Haina in the Dominican Republic before being intercepted by authorities.
38
26. The Mirebalais case reveals how a firearms trafficking supply chain can depend
on multiple commercial actors across several jurisdictions. These included the
shipowner and the ocean carrier that were involved in maritime transit.
39
On arrival
to the Dominican Republic, land transportation was managed by a Dominican-
registered company, operated by two Dominican nationals later detained by the
police.
40
The consignee was listed as a Haitian company operated by a Haitian
national later arrested in Belladère by the Haitian National Police. The final delivery
location listed in the shipping documents was a well-known hotel in Belladère.
41
27. The shipment itself was intercepted by Dominican customs authorities on
25 February during a routine X-ray inspection at the port of Haina. The seizure
revealed a sizeable cache that included 17 VSKA and WASR-10 rifles, a heavy
anti-materiel Barrett .50 calibre rifle, a WASR-M rifle, several Glock pistols, an Uzi
submachine gun, more than 36,000 rounds of ammunition and magazines and
accessories.
42
The scale and calibre of the weaponry confirmed the involvement of a
well-organized and resourced transnational network.
43
Within days of the seizure, the
transport company owners were apprehended in the Dominican Republic.
44
28. The owner of the hotel in Belladère and listed consignee was arrested in Hinche
on 13 March. Two days later, Haitian police apprehended the two suspected weapons
purchasers at Cap-Haïtien International Airport as they attempted to flee to the United
States. The operation also led to the arrest of two other individuals suspected of being
involved in the case. All four individuals were placed in custody while judicial
procedures are ongoing. These arrests came 11 days after the original weapon seizure
and were a direct consequence of the investigation launched in response to the
original interdiction.
__________________
37
S/2025/303.
38
S/2025/303, paras. 24 and 25.
39
The shipowner and the carrier were potentially not aware of the weapons being trafficked, as is
often the case with maritime trafficking.
40
See www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/nacional/2025/03/06/empresa-a-la-que-decomisaron-
arsenal-de-armas-tenia-cinco-anos/3024243.
41
See https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/254123/the-connection-between-arms-traffickers-in-
belladere-and-the-400-mawozo-gang-and-associates.
42
S/2025/303, paras. 24 and 25.
43
S/2025/303, para. 24.
44
See www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/nacional/2025/03/06/empresa-a-la-que-decomisaron-arsenal-
de-armas-tenia-cinco-anos/3024243; and https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/254123/the-
connection-between-arms-traffickers-in-belladere-and-the-400-mawozo-gang-and-associates.
S/2025/420
11/20 25-09659
Map 3
Map showing weapons seizures, arrests and Mirebalais prison attack
29. However, on 31 March, the Mirebalais prison, where the suspects were detained,
was attacked by heavily armed men affiliated with the Viv Ansanm organized crime
coalition. The attackers, reportedly from the 400 Mawozo and Baz Taliban factions,
wore identifiable red T-shirts bearing gang symbols. Their assault began before dawn
and targeted both the prison and the adjacent police station. The attackers set fire to
vehicles and opened sustained gunfire, rapidly overwhelming the security forces.
Reinforcements from the Haitian National Police were eventually deployed, resulting
in at least 30 gang members being killed and three police officers wounded.
30. Within days of the attack on the Mirebalais prison it emerged that at least 529
prisoners had escaped, the vast majority of whom were in pretrial detention. Many of
the detainees had been arrested in connection with arms, drugs and trafficking in
S/2025/420
25-09659 12/20
persons, including those recently detained in the weapons trafficking investigation.
45
The prison serves the entire Centre Department and holds detainees from jurisdictions
such as Belladère, Hinche and Lascahobas. Its strategic importance, including
because a large number of high-risk detainees are held there, made it a high-value
target for organized crime groups.
31. The criminal expansion into Mirebalais and the prison attack not only resulted
in the release of hundreds of potentially dangerous inmates but also prompted a
humanitarian crisis and a public backlash. Fearing escalating violence between gangs
and police, thousands of residents fled to nearby towns such as Lascahobas, Belladère
and Hinche. Armed civilian groups attempted to support police efforts but were
unable to prevent the mass escape or fend off heavily armed criminal groups. The
incident reflects international impacts of weapons trafficking but also the strategic
expansion of gang operations beyond Port-au-Prince and the direct targeting of State
institutions.
46
32. Also of concern is the reported involvement of another criminal group near
Mirebalais, the Baz Croix-Fer. The criminal group operates in the border areas
between Haiti and the Dominican Republic and is involved in a number of cross-
border illicit activities, including weapons and narcotics trafficking between
Belladère and Elias Piña. Baz Croix-Fer reportedly also maintains connections with
other gangs in Haiti, notably 400 Mawozo.
47
The gang’s proximity to both Mirebalais
and Belladère, combined with its criminal partnerships, positions it as a likely
stakeholder in the broader destabilization strategy pursued by transnational criminal
networks operating between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
33. Gangs have essentially occupied Mirebalais since late March. Owing to the
Government’s inability to re-establish State authority in Mirebalais, which has
remained under the control of organized criminal groups since late March, residents
shut down Péligre hydroelectric dam from 13 to 23 May.
48
The closure of the largest
power generation facility in Haiti, situated less than 6 miles from Mirebalais and 40
miles north-east of Port-au-Prince, led to widespread blackouts in Port-au-Prince and
surrounding regions. The Péligre facility accounts for approximately 30 per cent of
the electricity supply for Haiti, significantly impacting national critical infrastructure.
The impact on critical infrastructure not only exacerbates the national humanitarian
crisis but also underlines the need for comprehensive security interventions and wider
reforms.
__________________
45
See https://haitiantimes.com/fr/2025/04/01/les-gangs-persistent-%C3%A0-Mirebalais-
malgr%C3%A9-l%27intervention-de-la-police/. The article contains a statement by Frédérique
Occéan, the departmental delegate for the Centre :“The first place attacked by the bandits was
the prison, to free all the suspects we had arrested.” He further indicated that the attack was
“probably in retaliation for a major weapons seizure at the Belladère customs office, where the
authorities confiscated firearms, ammunition, money and vehicles.”
46
As noted previously, the Viv Ansanm coalition had carried out similar actions in Croix-des-
Bouquets and the capital in 2024.
47
Baz Croix-Fer members have been leveraged by economic actors to intimidate customs and
police authorities. The group likewise imposes illegal taxes on merchants and maintains control
over local roads, undermining regional security and hindering economic activity (information
from Haitian Customs officers).
48
After a meeting between Fritz Alphonse Jean on 23 May 2025 and Mirebalais and Saut d’Eau
residents involved in the protests, the residents agreed to restart the power plant, contingent on
promises made by the Transitional Presidential Council and the Government regarding security.
S/2025/420
13/20 25-09659
III. Trafficking in persons, sexual violence, displacement
and deportations
34. At the beginning of 2025, the Transitional Presidential Council of Haiti publicly
acknowledged that trafficking in persons for the purpose of organ removal constitutes
a growing concern affecting the population.
49
Since then, multiple reports have
emerged pointing to the existence of organ trafficking operations. On 21 May, the
Haitian National Police conducted a raid on a facility in Pétion-Ville suspected of
being a part of the illicit organ trade. At about the same time, the mutilated body of a
17-year-old girl was discovered in Limbé, raising further concerns regarding the
presence of organ harvesting networks in the country.
35. Multiple accounts of organ trafficking have surfaced in relation to a hospital in
northern Haiti. News reports alleged that several paediatric patients were discharged
with a single kidney, and several families have claimed to have received the remains
of deceased relatives with vital organs – hearts or lungs – missing. Residents living in
the area report witnessing suspicious nocturnal landings of small aircraft and
helicopters near the hospital premises. Anonymous staff accounts refer to irregularities
in post-mortem handling and deliberate efforts to conceal incidents. The matter has
attracted significant public attention and prompted renewed calls for a formal judicial
investigation into alleged organ trafficking practices in medical facilities.
50
36. Meanwhile, there are also reports from the Dominican Republic that some
Haitian women, including individuals facing deportation, may have been subjected to
sexual exploitation.
51
Investigative reporting from Punta Cana has documented claims
that Haitian women were allegedly coerced into transactional sexual encounters with
intermediaries or officials to avoid removal proceedings.
52
Several testimonies
describe degrading conditions in detention facilities and the occurrence of abuse.
Beyond these cases, broader patterns of sexual violence linked to organized crime
have been reported both in Haiti and along the migration route. In areas under
criminal groups control in Port-au-Prince and Artibonite, women and girls are
frequently subjected to sexual violence, including rape, as a form of territorial control
or intimidation. Criminals also use sexual exploitation as a mechanism of recruitment
__________________
49
See “Trafficking in human organs another problem in Haiti”, Prensa Latina, 31 January 2025,
available at www.plenglish.com/news/2025/01/31/trafficking-in-human-organs-another-
problem-in-haiti/.
50
There is a distinction between trafficking in persons for the purpose of organ removal and organ
trafficking per se. Although the two terms are often used interchangeably, they refer to distinct
criminal offences under international law. Trafficking in persons for the purpose of organ
removal falls within the scope of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in
Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against
Transnational Organized Crime, and involves the recruitment, transportation, transfer,
harbouring or receipt of persons through means such as coercion, deception or abuse of
vulnerability, for the purpose of exploiting them through the removal of organs. By contrast,
organ trafficking refers to the illicit removal and trade in organs, regardless of whether
trafficking in persons is involved. This may include cases involving deceased individuals or
where consent is improperly obtained but without the presence of coercion or deception as
defined under the Protocol. Misidentification of such cases as organ trafficking alone may result
in the misapplication of legal frameworks and insufficient protection for victims. See
UNODC/Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons, issue brief,
“Trafficking in persons for the purpose of organ removal”, December 2020, available at
https://icat.un.org/sites/g/files/tmzbdl461/files/publications/icat_brief_tip_for_or_final.pdf.
51
See www.unocha.org/publications/report/haiti/haiti-humanitarian-country-team-deeply-
concerned-about-deportation-pregnant-and-breastfeeding-women-dominican-republic/; and
www.justice.gov/opa/pr/founder-haitian-orphanage-sentenced-210-years-prison-sexually-
abusing-boys-his-care.
52
See www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/05/19/dominican-republic-haitian-abuse/.
S/2025/420
25-09659 14/20
and punishment.
53
These dynamics reflect how trafficking, sexual violence and
displacement are increasingly intertwined with the operations of criminal networks
on both sides of the border.
37. Furthermore, in late April and early May, a major assault led by criminal groups
in Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite forcibly displaced hundreds of residents. Interviews
conducted by national media outlets indicate that the majority of those displaced are
women, children and elderly persons, many of whom lack access to healthcare,
education and sustainable livelihoods.
54
A further 66,000 people were registered as
internally displaced persons in Mirebalais as at late May, underscoring the scale of
displacement connected to criminal violence and instability.
55
38. The Dominican Republic also continued to intensify forcible repatriations of
Haitian migrants during the reporting period. More than 119,000 individuals were
repatriated from January to April 2025, constituting a 71 per cent increase as compared
with the same period in 2024.
56
A single nationwide operation conducted in mid-April
resulted in the detention of 1,442 undocumented Haitians.
57
A new administrative
protocol requires public hospitals to verify the immigration status of patients and to
notify immigration authorities in cases involving undocumented individuals. Under this
procedure, medical care is provided prior to the initiation of removal processes.
58
Notably, in late April, more than 130 women and children, including 48 pregnant
women and 39 new mothers, were deported directly from hospitals.
59
39. In April 2025, the Dominican authorities announced a comprehensive package
of 15 measures aimed at strengthening national border control and reducing irregular
migration flows from Haiti. These measures include the accelerated construction of a
border wall along key crossing points, the deployment of an additional 1,500 military
personnel to reinforce border security and enhanced identification protocols in both
public and private institutions, including hospitals and workplaces.
60
40. Several deportation measures introduced by Dominican authorities raised concern
among international human rights organizations and United Nations entities, including
the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the United Nations Children’s
Fund (UNICEF). Multiple United Nations agencies have noted potential implications
for access to essential services, in particular for women, children and other vulnerable
groups.
61
Observers have underscored the importance of ensuring that all measures
taken to manage migration are implemented in full compliance with applicable law,
__________________
53
See Human Rights Watch, “Haiti: escalating violence puts population at grave risk”, 17 April 2025,
available at www.hrw.org/news/2025/04/17/haiti-escalating-violence-puts-population-grave-risk.
54
See https://lenouvelliste.com/article/256245/les-deplaces-internes-grands-oublies-de-la-crise-
haitienne.
55
See https://www.hpninfo.com/post/ins%C3%A9curit%C3%A9-mirebalais-66-000-personnes-
d%C3%A9plac%C3%A9es -internes-recens%C3%A9s.
56
See “The number of deportees will reach 119,000 in 2025 – a 71% increase compared to the
same period in 2024”, Dirección General de Migración, May 2025, available at
https://migracion.gob.do/en/the-number-of-deportees-will-reach-119000-in-2025-a-71-increase-
compared-to-the-same-period-in-2024//.
57
See www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/nacional/2025/04/23/migracion-detiene-1442-haitianos-
indocumentados/3085086.
58
See https://migracion.gob.do/dgm-inicia-implementacion-de-protocolo-migratorio-en-
hospitales-publicos/.
59
See www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/apr/29/pregnant-women-deported-
dominican-republic-migration-crackdown-haiti.
60
See www.reuters.com/world/americas/dominican-republic-reinforces-border-security-migration-
controls-towards-haiti-2025-04-06/.
61
“UN alert over rising deportations of Haitian mothers and newborns from Dominican Republic”,
UN News, 24 April 2025, available at https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162591.
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15/20 25-09659
including international human rights law and, and the right to healthcare.
62
The Office
for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has also highlighted that many returnees
have been sent back to areas of Haiti affected by acute insecurity and internal
displacement, where access to basic services remains severely limited.
63
41. Alongside deportations, the Dominican Republic has also recorded a notable
increase in the number of Haitian nationals opting for voluntary return. From January
to mid-May 2025, nearly 60,000 Haitians departed the country through a government-
supported voluntary return programme, implemented in coordination with Dominican
migration authorities and international partners. While the initiative eased pressure
on detention facilities and reduced the risks associated with involuntary repatriations
and forced returns, concerns persist regarding the adequacy of reception conditions
and reintegration support in Haiti. Humanitarian actors continue to underscore the
importance of developing comprehensive reintegration strategies to prevent returnees
from falling into cycles of exploitation or trafficking. In early May 2025, the
Government of Haiti and several international partners organized the fourth caravane
humanitaire to facilitate the voluntary return of approximately 600 Haitian nationals
via the Belladère border point.
64
42. Another challenge relates to the increasing uncertainty surrounding the legal status
of Haitian nationals residing abroad.
65
Temporary protected status designation has
allowed more than 520,000 Haitians to remain in the United States, in recognition of the
protracted instability and humanitarian needs in their country of origin.
66
However, the
current temporary protected status designation is set to expire in August 2025.
67
Haitian
diaspora communities and humanitarian actors have expressed concern over the
potential for large-scale returns, in particular in the light of the severe insecurity and
displacement crisis in Haiti.
68
These concerns have been further compounded by the
recent announcement by the Government of the United States of the termination of the
Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela (CHNV) parole programme, which had provided a
legal entry pathway for Haitian nationals through humanitarian parole.
69
__________________
62
See “Estas son las 15 medidas adoptadas por Abinader para frenar la inmigración de haitianos”,
Diario Libre, 6 April 2025, available at https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/nacional/
2025/04/06/las-15-medidas-de-abinader-para-frenar-la-inmigracion-de-haitianos/3062556/.
63
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Haiti, “Haiti humanitarian country team
deeply concerned about the deportation of pregnant and breastfeeding women from the
Dominican Republic”, press release, 19 May 2025, available at https://www.unocha.org/
publications/report/haiti/haiti-humanitarian-country-team-deeply-concerned-about-deportation-
pregnant-and-breastfeeding-women-dominican-republic.
64
The initiative provided temporary shelter, food assistance and psychosocial support for
returnees and is part of a broader strategy to ensure safer return pathways, in particular for
vulnerable groups such as women and children.
65
See www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article302044329.html/.
66
See United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, “Temporary protected status
designated country: Haiti”, available at www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-
status/temporary-protected-status-designated-country-haiti.
67
See www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status/temporary-protected-status-
designated-country-haiti.
68
See “États-Unis : vers la fin du TPS pour les Vénézuéliens, l’inquiétude gagne les Haïtiens”, VBI,
15 May 2025, available at https://vantbefinfo.com/etats-unis-vers-la-fin-du-tps-pour-les-
venezueliens-linquietude-gagne-les-haitiens/. See also “Une décision de la Cour suprême inquiète
les Haïtiens sous TPS”, Haïti Libre, 16 May 2025, available at https://www.haitilibre.com/article-
44942-haiti-flash-une-decision-de-la-cour-supreme-inquiete-les-haitiens-sous-tps.html; and
www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article302044329.html.
69
See U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “DHS to terminate CHNV parole program for
nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela”, 19 May 2025, available at
www.dhs.gov/news/2025/06/12/dhs-issues-notices-termination-chnv-paroleprogram-encourages-
parolees-self-deport.
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IV. Countering illicit financial flows
43. Notwithstanding far-reaching rule of law challenges in Haiti, incremental
progress is being made in the fight against corruption. For example, on 12 May, the
Minister of Justice of Haiti directed a letter to the chief prosecutor of Port-au-Prince,
instructing him to freeze the bank accounts of individuals sanctioned under Security
Council resolution 2653 (2022). The Minister also ordered financial investigations
into these individuals. According to Haitian law, once a ministerial decree targets
individuals sanctioned by the United Nations, financial institutions must freeze their
accounts immediately and submit a suspicious transaction report to the Central
Financial Intelligence Unit (Unité centrale de renseignements financiers – UCREF).
70
The Unit can then launch an administrative investigation. These types of measures
also create the opportunity to initiate criminal investigations simultaneously.
Ultimately, authorities are aiming to seize and eventually permanently confiscate
assets, both domestically and abroad.
44. Since 2021, Haiti has been “grey-listed” by the Financial Action Task Force,
meaning that it is under increased monitoring owing to deficiencies in its anti-money-
laundering and counter-terrorist financing regimes. The International Cooperation
Review Group of the Task Force uses a face-to-face meeting process as part of its
mutual evaluations and follow-up activities. Jurisdictions under review could meet
with the Joint Group of the International Cooperation Review Group (a regional team
within the International Cooperation Review Group) to discuss their progress in
implementing anti-money-laundering and countering the financing of terrorism
measures. These meetings help to address any disagreements or issues identified in
the mutual evaluation reports.
71
Recent investigations by the Anti-Corruption Unit
(Unité de lutte contre la corruption – ULCC) of Haiti are also yielding modest, yet
important, advances. A submission to the Prosecutor’s Office dated 8 May 2025
revealed serious misconduct and widespread corruption across various public
institutions.
72
Notably affected entities include the Office for the Protection of
Citizens (Office de la protection du citoyen – OPC), the Office of Insurance for Work
Accidents, Sickness and Maternity (Office d’assurance accidents du travail, maladie
et maternité – OFATMA) and the Directorate of Immigration and Emigration
(Direction de l’immigration et de l’émigration – DIE). Allegations include
embezzlement of public funds through fictitious travel expenses, illegal awarding of
public contracts, nepotism, lack of proper financial oversight and unauthorized
management of State revenues. The investigations highlight deficient internal
controls, non-compliance with procurement regulations and discretionary practices
that circumvent legal requirements.
45. The Anti-Corruption Unit investigations have also uncovered systemic
corruption within the passport issuance process in Haiti, involving financial fraud,
abuse of authority and widespread institutional corruption.
73
Officials reportedly
charged applicants unlawful fees, created fictitious accounts to evade taxes,
misappropriated State funds through unmonitored cash transactions and colluded to
issue passports without proper documentation. These actions underscore broader
__________________
70
See anti-money laundering decree of 30 April 2023.
71
See www.fatf-gafi.org/en/publications/High-risk-and-other-monitored-jurisdictions/More-on-
high-risk-and-non-cooperative-jurisdictions.html. In essence, the face-to-face meeting is a
critical part of the Financial Action Task Force process for ensuring that jurisdictions are
implementing effective anti-money-laundering and countering the financing of terrorism
measures and addressing any deficiencies identified.
72
Anti-Corruption Unit executive summaries of investigations submitted to the Prosecutor’s
Office on 8 May 2025.
73
Ibid.
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governance failures marked by the routine disregard of legal frameworks, absence of
internal controls and diversion of public resources for personal enrichment. Such
pervasive corruption significantly weakens public trust and deprives the Haitian State
of essential revenue.
46. The findings of the Anti-Corruption Unit illustrate the severe risks posed by
corruption within the passport system in Haiti, threatening national and regional
security. Fraudulent passport issuance and diversion of State revenue facilitate
irregular migration and weaken border controls across the Caribbean and beyond.
These vulnerabilities compromise identity verification systems and create
opportunities exploited by transnational criminal organizations. Amid escalating gang
violence and institutional instability, the country’s compromised passport system is
enabling activities such as trafficking in persons, drug trafficking, arms smuggling,
organ trafficking and the evasion of justice by fugitives. Without immediate
intervention, Haiti risks becoming a central hub for organized crime, posing
significant threats to regional security in the Americas.
V. Recommendations
47. While this recommendation aligns with previous reporting, it is important
to adapt it to the current context, where references to arms transfers in this
report have largely concerned private security providers and a limited number
of emblematic trafficking cases. In this light, pre-shipment verification and end-
user certification should still be enforced for all arms, ammunition and tactical
equipment entering Haiti and the Dominican Republic – in particular through
third-party ports – to prevent diversion and misuse. Exporting States must
require certified documentation and real-time digital tracking of end use, while
customs authorities should implement enhanced inspection protocols at key
maritime hubs such as Haina, Port-au-Prince and Miami. These measures would
help reinforce oversight, even in less-structured or privately facilitated transfers,
and should be supported by international technical assistance and monitoring.
48. Establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for private security
companies: the Haitian authorities should consider updating, drafting and
implementing a national regulatory regime governing private security actors,
including requirements for licensing, approved armament, vetting of personnel
and mandatory reporting. This framework may include robust enforcement
mechanisms to address illicit arms transfers and complicity with organized
crime. Independent oversight, possibly through an international monitoring
body, could ensure compliance with international human rights standards.
49. Enhance border control and transnational crime cooperation: the
international community, including regional partners, can bolster joint Haitian-
Dominican mechanisms to disrupt trafficking networks and strengthen border
governance. Building on good practices, this can include improved technological
support, training for customs officers and formalized data-sharing protocols.
50. Embed human rights safeguards in security operations: all security
operations, including those conducted with international support, must comply
with international law, including international human rights law and, as
applicable, international humanitarian law. A civilian harm tracking mechanism
should be developed in partnership with OHCHR and civil society. A legal
framework and operational standards to govern the use of drones should be
developed.
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51. Scale up support for anti-corruption and financial accountability measures:
international partners can continue to expand support to the Central Financial
Intelligence Unit (UCREF) and the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC) through
forensic audit training, secure data platforms and investigative partnerships.
Haitian judicial authorities must be empowered to act on financial intelligence
with clear legal mandates and prosecutorial autonomy. Regular independent
evaluations can assess progress and guide future assistance.
52. Build on the administrative freezing measures against individuals
sanctioned under Security Council resolution 2653 (2022) to locate their assets
and to operate a criminal seizure (in Haiti or abroad) in the context of a criminal
investigation against them to subsequently obtain the confiscation of their assets.
53. Upon receiving the updated action plan from the Financial Action Task
Force, the Haitian authorities should follow up on the recommendations and take
action to address the deficiencies identified in order to implement effective anti-
money-laundering and counter-terrorist financing measures.
54. Empower the financial intelligence units of Haiti and the Dominican
Republic to conduct proactive forensic audits of accounts and remittance
channels associated with arms trafficking and organized crime: these efforts
could also be coordinated with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
(FinCEN) of the United States Department of the Treasury and similar entities
from other relevant Member States to track suspicious financial flows and issue
joint risk advisories. Measures should include tighter scrutiny of informal money
transfers, cryptoassets and real estate transactions, alongside mandatory
reporting by financial institutions of high-risk cross-border transactions, with
penalties for non-compliance.
55. Reinforce judicial protection for high-profile detainees and facilities: given
the attack on Mirebalais prison and mass escape of detainees in March and April
2025, the Government of Haiti should establish a national task force to assess
and secure high-risk detention facilities. This should include dedicated resources
for perimeter security, rapid response capabilities and vetting of personnel.
International support may be sought to establish secure judicial holding systems
for organized crime cases.
56. Investigate and prosecute organ trafficking crimes: Haitian judicial
authorities must urgently initiate impartial and transparent investigations into
reported cases of organ trafficking, including alleged complicity of medical
institutions. International forensic and investigative assistance should be
provided to build credible cases and restore public trust. Regulations should be
introduced to monitor post-mortem procedures and control high-risk sectors.
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Annex
Firearms seized in Haiti, 2021–2025
Firearms seized
Pistol Revolver Rifle Shotgun
Home-made
weapons Total
2021 January 30 2 8 1 9 50
February 27 1 8 5 – 41
March 8 2 3 1 5 19
April 23 4 2 2 8 39
May 15 5 3 1 3 27
June 3 1 2 – 6 12
July 17 1 13 7 7 45
August 25 3 2 3 4 37
September 16 6 6 – 12 40
October 18 1 3 2 2 26
November 16 – 6 4 3 29
December 24 3 3 5 1 36
Total 222 29 59 31 60 401
2022 January 19 – 4 1 1 25
February 10 2 2 1 6 21
March 26 5 2 3 5 41
April 15 5 4 3 5 32
May 29 6 7 – 6 48
June 13 1 3 – 2 19
July 30 3 23 2 1 59
August 11 – 4 2 2 19
September 4 1 5 3 4 17
October 9 2 5 – 6 22
November 16 2 6 1 1 26
December 10 1 1 1 – 13
Total 192 28 66 17 39 342
2023 January 14 1 7 1 2 25
February 16 4 3 2 – 25
March 9 4 3 – 5 21
April 20 – 10 1 – 31
May 4 1 5 1 1 12
June 4 2 5 1 4 16
July 9 2 3 1 4 19
August 13 1 1 – 1 16
September 13 2 4 1 1 21
October 18 3 2 3 5 31
November 10 4 1 – 2 17
December 10 1 6 1 13 31
Total 140 25 50 12 38 265
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Pistol Revolver Rifle Shotgun
Home-made
weapons Total
2024 January 5 1 1 2 1 10
February 7 1 6 4 3 21
March 7 1 6 – 3 17
April 22 – 13 – – 35
May 7 3 2 – 1 13
June 15 – 5 – 5 24
July 15 1 3 4 4 27
August 19 3 6 – – 29
September 13 3 14 1 – 32
October 16 1 17 2 5 41
November 12 3 4 2 1 22
December – – – – – –
Total 138 17 77 15 24 271
2025 January 10 – 6 2 1 19
February 18 1 4 1 8 32
March 21 – 10 2 2 35
April 16 – 20 2 2 40
Total 65 1 40 7 13 126