Haiti is under a UN arms embargo: So why are 500,000 illegal weapons in circulation?

This article is published in association with United Nations.

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

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

UN Member States agreed to impose an arms embargo on Haiti in 2022 – so  what has gone wrong? Here are five things you need to know.

How many weapons are in Haiti?

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

They are not just in the hands of the many murderous gangs that control most of the capital, they’re also common among the growing number of vigilante “justice” groups which are trying to protect people and property in troubled neighbourhoods of Port-au-Prince.

The impact of so many weapons in a metropolitan area of around 2.6 million people is devastating. In 2024 alone, over 5,600 people were killed due to gang-related activity according to the UN.  

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

© UNOCHA/Giles Clarke

Thousands of people have been killed in Haiti due to gang warfare.

Human rights violations and abuses documented by the UN 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 in the hands of gangs and vigilante groups, but there are indications that more sophisticated and deadly weapons are being used.  

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

© UNOCHA/Giles Clarke

A man is treated for severe burns in hospital after gangs attacked and caused a fire in the gas station where he worked.

What does the embargo say?  

The arms embargo as well as travel bans and asset freezes on individuals was authorized by the UN Security Council in October 2022.

Specifically targeting gangs and individuals deemed responsible for threatening Haiti’s peace and security, it 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 recognizes that the situation in Haiti poses a threat to regional peace.

How is the embargo being circumvented?

Well-established trafficking routes from the US, 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 being intercepted by US authorities before they reach Haiti.

© CPB/HSI

Weapons seized by US law enforcement authorities which were destined for Haiti are put on show.

There is also evidence of weapons being shipped from Venezuela and other South American countries.

Weapons are frequently concealed within mixed cargo or 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 to ensure the embargo is adhered to and how is the UN helping?

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

© UNICEF/Ralph Tedy Erol

That means equipping Haitian customs, port and border control authorities with the technical capacity to detect, interdict and investigate illicit arms shipments. Currently, there is not even one large-format scanner in all of Haiti which could efficiently identify the contents of a shipping container or truck.  

Given that most weapons enter Haiti through maritime routes, improving maritime and port security – including inspections – is essential as well as working more effectively with law enforcement authorities in the countries of origin.

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

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

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

Given that Haiti manufactures neither guns nor ammunition, cutting off the supply of bullets alone would effectively end the ability of gangs to fight each other and terrorise communities.