Record Haiti drug bust exposes key trafficking role

UN Photo

A record seizure of cocaine off the coast of Haiti has highlighted the island nation’s “pivotal role in trafficking routes linking South America, the Caribbean and the United States,” according to the United Nations.

Haiti remains gripped by a deepening security crisis as gangs battle for territorial control in the capital and beyond, expanding their criminal activities in the process.

Widespread insecurity has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, further worsening the humanitarian and economic crises the country is already facing. There are growing fears that gangs are increasingly collaborating with international organised crime networks to traffic drugs.

What drugs have been seized and where?

A record 1,045 kilograms of cocaine was seized in July 2025 near Haiti’s Île de la Tortue in a maritime operation by Haitian authorities—the country’s largest drug bust in more than 30 years.

Just two weeks later, 426 kg of cannabis was confiscated in Petite-Anse near Cap-Haïtien, again in the country’s north.

There have been additional seizures elsewhere in the region. Two Haitian nationals were arrested in Jamaica, also in July, with more than 1,350 kg of cannabis.

Where are the drugs headed?

The cocaine seized in July is believed to have originated in South America and was likely destined for distribution across the Caribbean and the United States.

There is also evidence, received by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), of drugs being shipped to Europe. In August 2025, Belgian authorities seized 1,156 kg of cocaine in the port of Antwerp in a container originating from Haiti.

How are gangs in Haiti involved?

The country’s largest gangs have entrenched themselves along strategic corridors in and out of Port-au-Prince as well as along the border with the Dominican Republic, controlling key transit routes for drugs and other contraband, including weapons.

Their control of domestic routes allows them not only to extort local communities but also to move drugs with impunity, much of it destined for export.

Some gangs are also believed to extort tolls from boats and engage in armed robbery at sea, asserting control over maritime trade and trafficking routes. Intelligence from Jamaica links recent firearms seizures to a guns-for-drugs trade involving Haitian gangs.

Why has Haiti become a trans-shipment point?

Much of the trafficking activity is centred around Île de la Tortue, long a strategic base for transnational criminal operations due to its remoteness and size.

Historically used by pirates, it has in recent decades been exploited by organised criminal networks involved in drug trafficking, human smuggling and other illegal activities. Its location provides direct maritime access to the Bahamas, Jamaica and the Turks and Caicos Islands, making it an ideal logistics and storage hub.

At the same time, traffickers continue to exploit Haiti’s weak justice and penal systems, which have been unable to cope with expanding gang activity and organised crime.

What is the regional impact?

Haiti is rapidly becoming a central node in a multinational trafficking network. The traffickers involved in the record cocaine shipment were Bahamian and Jamaican nationals, illustrating regional collaboration with Haitian criminal groups.

Drug seizures in both Haitian waters and Europe indicate the presence of sophisticated and well-established routes requiring a strong regional law-enforcement response. Newly emerging trafficking routes are also overlapping with migrant-smuggling operations, in which Haitian nationals are increasingly involved.

Meanwhile, the drug trade fuels regional instability, undermining governance, damaging economies and driving violence. Ports, trade corridors and tourism sectors across the region face increased security challenges and reputational risks.

How is UNODC supporting Haiti?

UNODC is reinforcing border security, strengthening maritime control, advancing intelligence-led policing and addressing corruption and financial crime that enable trafficking networks to operate.

A nationwide border-management initiative has been launched to boost Haiti’s capacity to intercept illicit flows at ports, airports and land crossings.

At sea, UNODC’s Global Maritime Crime Programme is supporting the Haitian Coast Guard, which plays a central role in securing maritime routes heavily used for narcotics and human trafficking.

On land, UNODC is helping law enforcement agencies carry out intelligence-led operations against organised criminal groups involved in migrant smuggling, trafficking in persons and associated crimes. Cross-border information sharing with regional partners has also increased.

Recognising that drug trafficking is sustained by entrenched corruption and the laundering of criminal proceeds, UNODC is implementing measures to strengthen institutional integrity and accountability. Specialised tribunals are being developed to handle cases involving financial crime, money-laundering and gang-related offences, with the aim of reducing impunity and restoring trust in the justice system.