Haiti’s Gun Crisis Deepens Despite UN Arms Embargo

Giles Clarke — Gang members brandish their weapons in the Delmas 3 neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Up to 500,000 illegal weapons—ranging from handguns to battlefield-grade semi-automatic rifles—are believed to be in the hands of gangs in Haiti, even though the Caribbean country has been under a UN arms embargo for the past three years.

Haiti is facing an acute security crisis as rival gangs fight for control of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and surrounding areas, terrorizing local communities through extortion, sexual violence, kidnappings for ransom, and murder.

UN Member States agreed to impose an arms embargo on Haiti in 2022—but what has gone wrong? Here are five key things to know.

How many weapons are in Haiti?

Haiti does not manufacture firearms or ammunition. However, according to the latest figures released by the UN human rights office, an estimated 270,000 to 500,000 illegal weapons are currently in circulation.

These weapons are not only in the hands of murderous gangs that control much of the capital; they are also common among vigilante “justice” groups attempting to protect people and property in troubled neighbourhoods of Port-au-Prince.

The impact of such widespread weapon possession in a metropolitan area of around 2.6 million people is devastating. In 2024 alone, more than 5,600 people were killed due to gang-related violence, according to the UN.

During just five days in early December 2024, at least 207 people were killed by gangs controlling the Wharf Jérémie area of the capital.

UN-documented human rights violations and abuses have included mass killings, kidnappings for ransom, rape and sexual exploitation, destruction of property, and severe restrictions on access to essential services—particularly healthcare and education.

What firearms are in circulation?

It is difficult to accurately estimate the number of illegal firearms held by gangs and vigilante groups, but evidence suggests that increasingly sophisticated and deadly weapons are being used.

The Haitian authorities have had limited success in stopping the inflow of arms. One shipment of weapons procured in Miami, in the United States, and intercepted in the Dominican Republic in February 2025 included a heavy Barrett M82 semi-automatic rifle, sniper rifles, an Uzi submachine gun, and more than 36,000 rounds of ammunition.

What does the embargo say?

The arms embargo, along with travel bans and asset freezes on certain individuals, was authorised by the UN Security Council in October 2022.

Specifically targeting gangs and individuals deemed responsible for threatening Haiti’s peace and security, the embargo calls on UN Member States to prohibit the supply, sale, or transfer of arms and related material of all types, including technical assistance, training, and financial support related to military activities.

It also recognises that the situation in Haiti poses a threat to regional peace.

How is the embargo being circumvented?

Well-established trafficking routes from the United States—primarily from Miami but also from New York via the Dominican Republic—continue to be exploited, often due to weak customs enforcement and corruption.

Some shipments are intercepted by US authorities before they reach Haiti. However, there is also evidence of weapons being shipped from Venezuela and other South American countries.

Weapons are frequently concealed within mixed cargo or falsely declared as humanitarian or commercial goods to evade inspection.

There are also growing concerns that assault rifles originally registered to private security companies operating in Haiti are ending up in the hands of gang members.

What needs to be done, and how is the UN helping?

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which works on trafficking issues, has said that ensuring adherence to the embargo requires “a comprehensive and coordinated approach at the national, regional, and international levels.”

That means equipping Haitian customs, port, and border control authorities with the technical capacity to detect, interdict, and investigate illicit arms shipments.

Currently, Haiti does not have even one large-format scanner capable of efficiently identifying the contents of shipping containers or trucks.

Given that most weapons enter Haiti through maritime routes, improving maritime and port security—including inspections—is essential, as is closer cooperation with law enforcement authorities in the countries of origin.

Providing additional resources along the porous border with the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, would also help curb illicit trafficking through unofficial crossings.

The UN is helping to coordinate efforts between Haiti and other countries in the region to ensure compliance, while also providing technical assistance to strengthen arms tracing, customs controls, and financial investigations.

“Combating corruption and illicit financial flows also remains central to embargo compliance,” the UNODC said.

Since Haiti manufactures neither guns nor ammunition, cutting off the supply of bullets alone could significantly weaken the gangs’ ability to fight and terrorise communities.