US(Washington Insider Magazine)-FLORIDA (Transatlantic Today) – According to Homeland Security officials, U.S. authorities in South Florida are intensifying their efforts to combat a recent spike in the smuggling of weapons to Haiti and the Caribbean.
Transnational criminal organizations are thought to be responsible for an unexpected rise in the quantity of high-caliber guns leaving the United States, reported ABC NEWS.
According to Anthony Salisbury, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations Miami, it has been disconcerting and upsetting to observe that the increase in violence has been occurring at the same time as an increase in the export of firearms from Miami to Haiti.
Numerous ongoing smuggling-related investigations are being actively pursued by HSI in the area. Officials are wary of disclosing precise figures and details because doing so could jeopardize ongoing investigations.
The Department of Commerce, Customs and Border Protection, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives are just a few of the federal agencies that have worked together in specialized teams to execute the enforcement crackdown.
The Miami River, one of the most unusual ports of entry in the United States due to the length it stretches into the interior of the country, is one location of particular interest.
Unlike the well organized container ships often seen at major ports, the Haitian freighters that dock along the 3–4 mile length of river are unique. These more compact boats that dock alongside the Miami River resemble enormous tugboats. The fact that individual shipments are frequently filled by hand makes it an ideal setting for smuggling.
The murder of Haitian President Jovenel Mose, which sparked a wave of gang violence that exists today, occurred one year ago last month.
The Caribbean’s hurricane season, which lasts from June to November, also poses a threat to the island country’s stability. The likelihood of tropical storms intensifying into major hurricanes has increased, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
