News Americas, New York, NY, November 15, 2024: The majority of firearms recovered from crime scenes in the Caribbean were traced back to the United States, according to a new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, (GAO). Between 2018 and 2022, Caribbean law enforcement agencies recovered 7,399 firearms, with 73% of them originating in the U.S.
A Persistent Challenge
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (ATF), which processes firearm tracing requests from Caribbean nations, found that most of the recovered weapons were handguns. Although Caribbean countries do not manufacture firearms, criminals obtain them through illegal markets and traffic them using air and sea routes, employing various concealment techniques.
A Regional Crisis
Caribbean nations like Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago continue to face high levels of violence, with six countries in the region ranking among the world’s top 10 for murder rates in 2021, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. U.S.-sourced firearms have been linked to many of these crimes, exacerbating regional instability and straining law enforcement resources.
The report comes on the heels of a lawsuit filed last year by Mexico. Mexico’s US$10bn lawsuit named several defendants including major gun manufacturers Smith and Wesson Brands Inc, Sturm, Ruger and Co, Barrett Firearms Manufacturing Inc, Beretta USA Corp, Colt’s Manufacturing Co, Century International Arms Inc, Witmer Public Safety Group Inc and Glock Inc.
Several CARICOM countries signed on to the anti-gun lawsuit filed by Mexico in the US. Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, The Bahamas, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago joined the amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief filed by Mexico appealing a decision in US court to hold gun makers responsible for facilitating the trafficking of deadly weapons across the border.
Combating Firearms Trafficking
The U.S. has launched several initiatives to curb gun trafficking to the region, including:
The Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, (CBSI): A U.S. partnership with 13 Caribbean countries that funds training programs like the Crime Gun Intelligence Unit to enhance intelligence sharing.
Transnational Criminal Investigative Units: Managed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), these units aim to dismantle networks responsible for firearms trafficking.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Interdictions: From 2018 to 2023, CBP seized 535 firearms and 3,167 firearm components at U.S. ports intended for Caribbean destinations.
Room for Improvement
Despite these efforts, the GAO identified gaps in tracking the effectiveness of U.S. initiatives. The CBSI’s Results Framework lacks specific indicators for measuring success in combating firearms trafficking. The GAO recommended that the Department of State develop such metrics to better evaluate progress, a suggestion the State Department has agreed to implement.
The Path Forward
The report underscores the need for stronger international collaboration to address firearms trafficking and reduce violence in the Caribbean. Implementing better tracking systems and expanding interdiction efforts could help curb the flow of illegal firearms and improve security across the region.
The GAO’s findings are a call to action for both Caribbean nations and the U.S. to strengthen their collective resolve against gun trafficking and its devastating impacts.
