Vice President Kamala Harris offers remarks on broadband web enlargement on Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, at Benedict School in Columbia, S.C.
Related Press/Meg Kinnard, file
America Division of State says that US and Caribbean officers on Thursday, Nov. 16 convened the 11th Excessive Degree Caribbean-US-Safety Cooperation Dialogue in Castries, St. Lucia.
The State Division stated St. Lucia hosted the Dialogue, which the US, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Dominican Republic co-chaired.
“Underneath the auspices of the Caribbean Basin Safety Initiative (CBSI) and the Caribbean-United States Framework for Safety Cooperation, the Caribbean-US Safety Cooperation Dialogue convenes yearly to advance cooperation on regional safety challenges, evaluate progress underneath CBSI, and set CBSI priorities for the next yr,” stated the State Division in a press release.
It stated discussions centered on US-Caribbean cooperation to deal with firearms trafficking, counter transnational organized crime, strengthen maritime safety, and forestall youth crime and violence by CBSI.
The State Division stated the dialogue additionally included Caribbean regional and national-level efforts to deal with trafficking in individuals, irregular migration, and proposals for additional progress.
America, CARICOM and the Dominican Republic heads of delegation unanimously adopted the dialogue joint assertion, which units out Caribbean and US priorities for safety cooperation by CBSI for the subsequent yr, the State Division stated.
It stated the joint assertion additionally welcomes the authorization, underneath Chapter VII of the UN Constitution, of a Multinational Safety Help (MSS) mission in Haiti.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Caribbean Affairs and Haiti Barbara A. Feinstein led the US delegation, which included illustration from the Bureau of Worldwide Narcotics and Legislation Enforcement Affairs; the US Company for Worldwide Growth; the Workplace to Monitor and Fight Trafficking in Individuals; Customs and Border Safety; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Safety Investigations; and Division of Protection.
On US-Caribbean cooperation to cease firearms trafficking, the State Division stated the US and the Caribbean collectively prioritize disrupting illicit firearms trafficking, “an essential facet of our cooperation to deal with rising ranges of crime and violence within the area.”
It stated it really works with US legislation enforcement and border safety businesses, and Caribbean counterparts and regional establishments to “construct Caribbean capability to detect and interdict illegally-trafficked firearms and ammunition, and promote coordination and data sharing between legislation enforcement and border safety businesses.
“The Caribbean Group, the Dominican Republic and the US are devoted to partnership and addressing our shared accountability to battle illicit trafficking in firearms,” the State Division stated.
In April, US and Caribbean firearms authorities convened a technical working group assembly in Trinidad and Tobago, the place they reaffirmed their dedication to implement the Caribbean Firearms Trafficking Precedence Actions developed underneath the auspices of the CBSI.
Signed into legislation in July 2022, the State Division stated the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act “dramatically elevated legal penalties for straw purchasers and US-sourced firearms trafficking.”
Provisions underneath the “Cease Unlawful Trafficking in Firearms Act” assign additional penalties for smuggled firearms or ammunition out of the US with intent to assist transnational organized crime.
In June 2023, US Vice President Kamala Harris, whose father is retired Jamaican economist Donald Harris, introduced that the US Division of Justice (DOJ) would announce a Coordinator for Caribbean Firearms Prosecutions.
That very same month, the DOJ appointed an skilled prosecutor to the function to raise firearms trafficking investigations and prosecutions, and assist implement the provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
In November 2022, the CARICOM Implementational Company for Crime and Safety (IMPACS), with US interagency assist, inaugurated a Caribbean Crime Gun Intelligence Unit (CCGIU) to enhance intelligence and data sharing amongst Caribbean and U.S. legislation enforcement businesses.
The US Division of State stated the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Haitian Nationwide Police have been anticipated to signal on Thursday a memorandum of understanding to facilitate legislation enforcement info sharing by the ATF eTrace system.
The Division stated the usage of the eTrace system may also help determine potential gun traffickers and suspects in legal investigations involving firearms.
It stated it additionally helps ongoing collaboration between Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI) and the Haitian Nationwide Police to develop a Transnational Prison Investigative Unit (TCIU) to facilitate investigations and prosecution of transnational crimes, together with investigations with a US nexus.
“The TCIU will deal with investigating firearms and ammunition smuggling, human trafficking and transnational gang exercise,” the State Division stated.
It stated that, in Fiscal 12 months 2023, HSI’s Caribbean Firearms Initiative contributed to regional safety by partnerships with Caribbean legislation enforcement and Customs businesses, collectively seizing 344 firearms, 224,438 rounds of ammunition, and US$391,132.00.
