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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Recently, in the Turks & Caicos Islands, law enforcement officials, including soldiers and police, were deployed throughout a neighborhood shortly after the islands faced a grim milestone of recording 40 homicides this year.
Their mission involved searching for illegal firearms and trying to combat the rising criminal activity that is contributing to a spike in violence in the Caribbean, largely attributed to weapons illegally trafficked from the United States.
During a police operation on October 30, an individual attempted to evade capture by driving recklessly while discarding a handgun into nearby foliage.
Following this incident, Police Superintendent Jason James reassured the public of their ongoing commitment to disrupting the illegal arms trade.
However, the challenge of controlling this tide of illegal firearms persists, with increasing concerns over the alarming homicide rates in various Caribbean nations, including Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas.
No Caribbean nation produces firearms or ammunition on a significant scale, yet they represent half of the countries with the highest murder rates globally, as indicated by U.S. Senator Chris Murphy.
In a letter addressed to U.S. lawmakers in late September, New York’s attorney general, along with thirteen other state attorneys general, advocated for enhanced measures to curb the influx of guns, emphasizing that 90% of firearms used in Caribbean crimes are acquired from the U.S. and smuggled into the region.
“Firearms manufactured in America are fueling violence and resulting in tragic incidents throughout Caribbean communities,” stated New York Attorney General Letitia James.
In mid-2023, the U.S. government took the initiative to appoint a coordinator focused on firearms prosecutions in the Caribbean to help suppress the illegal arms trade, while the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives actively traces weapons confiscated in the Caribbean.
Figures from the agency reveal that last year alone, 266 firearms sourced from the Bahamas, 234 from Jamaica, 162 from the Dominican Republic, and 143 from Trinidad and Tobago were submitted for tracing.
Most of these firearms are handguns, with semiautomatic pistols also noted as prevalent.
The data obtained from seizing these firearms can shed light on their purchase locations in the U.S., potentially leading to domestic trafficking investigations.
Nonetheless, halting the weapon flow is daunting.
Smugglers have been found disassembling firearms to conceal their components within shipping containers.
Michael Jones, the executive director of the Implementation Agency for Crime and Security at Caricom, described efforts to secure ports as futile, likening it to trying to contain liquid through a sieve.
More than just homicide rates are escalating across many Caribbean regions; there is a rising trend of home-manufactured firearms produced using 3D printing technology.
Gunmen are increasingly armed with higher-caliber guns, and the nature of their attacks has become more brazen, with even younger individuals becoming involved in violent acts.
Jones highlighted how some killings occur in broad daylight, with assailants approaching individuals directly.
The rise of organized gangs is evident, as they orchestrate violent activities across islands, often traveling to specific locations to commit crimes and quickly vacating the area.
Gangs target youth, exploiting their lack of opportunities.
“Some nations still deny they face gang issues,” he noted.
A poignant case occurred in late October, where a 42-year-old staff member from Trinidad and Tobago’s Forestry Division was shot and killed near his brother’s residence, marking one of six deaths in a mere 48 hours and pushing the nation’s homicide count to 518 this year, up from 468 in the prior year.
Particularly alarming, Tobago recorded a staggering 20 homicides by mid-August.
Prime Minister Keith Rowley recently urged lawmakers to draft legislation prohibiting the use of assault weapons and high-powered rifles.
Experts attribute a significant number of the region’s killings to gang-related violence, yet innocent civilians increasingly become collateral damage.
A report from mid-2023 highlighted the rising risk associated with the availability of privately made firearms and conversion devices, accentuating concerns about increased shot count during criminal encounters and the resulting jeopardy for bystanders.
Tragically, a four-year-old boy was hit by gunfire outside his preschool in Trinidad, sustaining a leg injury due to random violence in late September.
Additionally, in the Bahamas, a father holding his 8-month-old was fatally shot in early October as he exited his vehicle, though his children miraculously suffered no injuries.
This incident marked the 90th homicide for the Bahamas in a year that has revealed a 23% increase in killings compared to the previous year, despite overall crime rates showing a decline.
In Jamaica, the situation remains concerning, with a homicide rate of 53.3 per 100,000 residents reported.
By November 2, police data indicated that 960 individuals had been killed this year, reflecting a nearly 20% decrease from the previous year but still showcasing persistent violence on the island home to 2.8 million people.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness expressed serious concern over increasing violent outbreaks, especially following a recent incident where five men were killed at a soccer event in a neighborhood previously troubled by gang activity.
During his visit, he noted a reduction in gang numbers from almost 600 to 150 due to enacted anti-gang legislation.
Meanwhile, the Turks & Caicos Islands recently adopted a law allowing authorities to offer leniency or reduced sentences for individuals providing crucial information about criminal activities.
Efforts to engage law enforcement agencies in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turks & Caicos for comments yielded no responses.
James Sutton, police commissioner for St. Kitts and Nevis, highlighted that most illegal firearms originate from Florida, followed by Georgia and Texas.
Often, these weapons are shipped directly to destinations in the region, though some pass through Jamaican or Bahamian ports first.
Smugglers have cleverly concealed firearms within various cargo, underscoring the severity of the issue.
“We urge greater action from the U.S. to address this problem,” Sutton stated, as the nation grapples with 27 homicides to date, predominantly involving firearms.
Haiti faces an even graver crisis, with gangs controlling approximately 85% of Port-au-Prince and heavily armed through smuggled weapons.
A United Nations Security Council report released recently revealed that, despite stricter arms embargoes, trafficking has continued aggressively.
The report signified that several networks, often reliant on family ties, facilitate arms transport, and the majority of 200 containers shipped weekly from South Florida to Haiti remain uninspected.
Ultimately, the influx of smuggled arms, initially small but continually flooding in, leaves countries struggling against an overwhelming tide of violence.
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