UN warns Haiti emerging as major Caribbean drug hub after record bust

A record cocaine seizure off Haiti’s northern coast has underscored the country’s growing role as a major transit hub for narcotics moving between South America, the Caribbean and the United States, according to a new assessment from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

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Haiti, already engulfed in a deepening security and humanitarian crisis, has seen armed gangs expand their control over key corridors in and out of Port-au-Prince. The UN says these groups are increasingly tied to transnational criminal networks, facilitating the movement of drugs, weapons and other illicit goods.

In July 2025, Haitian authorities intercepted 1,045 kilograms of cocaine near Île de la Tortue — the country’s largest drug bust in more than 30 years. Two weeks later, 426 kg of cannabis were seized in Petite-Anse near Cap-Haïtien. The regional implications are clear, with additional seizures involving Haitian nationals recorded in Jamaica, where authorities confiscated more than 1,350 kg of cannabis.

Investigators believe the July cocaine shipment originated in South America and was intended for distribution across the Caribbean and the US. The UN also points to evidence of shipments going farther afield: Belgian officials seized 1,156 kg of cocaine in Antwerp in August in a container that originated from Haiti.

UNODC reports that Haiti’s most powerful gangs control strategic domestic and cross-border trafficking routes, including areas near the Dominican Republic frontier and maritime corridors north of the country. These groups extort tolls from vessels, engage in armed robbery at sea and move drugs internally with little resistance.

Intelligence from Jamaica also links Haitian gangs to a guns-for-drugs exchange — one of several indicators of growing regional criminal alliances.

Why Haiti has become a trafficking hotspot

Île de la Tortue, long a haven for smugglers dating back to the pirate era, remains central to drug transit operations because of its size, remoteness and proximity to routes leading directly to the Bahamas, Jamaica and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Weak justice and penal institutions have also left Haiti vulnerable to exploitation by organized crime.

Weapons and ammunition often travel along the same routes as narcotics, the UN says, further fueling violence inside Haiti and contributing to regional instability.

The traffickers behind the July cocaine shipment included Bahamian and Jamaican nationals, highlighting cross-border collaboration among criminal networks. The UN warns that drug routes are increasingly overlapping with migrant smuggling operations, with more Haitians becoming entangled in illicit maritime journeys.

The trade is undermining governance, damaging tourism, and straining law enforcement agencies across the Caribbean. Ports and maritime operators face heightened security challenges and reputational risks, even as seizures point to a sophisticated network with established international reach.

UNODC steps up support

To counter the surge, the UNODC has expanded efforts to strengthen Haiti’s border management, maritime control and intelligence-led policing. A nationwide initiative aimed at boosting interdiction at ports, airports and land crossings is already underway.

At sea, the agency’s Global Maritime Crime Programme is assisting the Haitian Coast Guard, which plays a critical role in monitoring heavily trafficked narcotics and migration routes.

On land, UNODC is helping authorities conduct intelligence-driven operations against gangs involved in human smuggling, arms trafficking and drug distribution. Information-sharing with regional partners has also been enhanced.

Given the role of corruption and money laundering in sustaining criminal networks, the UN is supporting initiatives to strengthen oversight and accountability. Specialized courts are being developed to handle cases involving financial crime, gang activity and other high-risk offences — part of an effort to reduce impunity and rebuild trust in Haiti’s justice system.