CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – The USA Division of State says U.S. and Caribbean officers convened the eleventh Excessive-Stage Caribbean-US-Safety Cooperation Dialogue on Thursday.
St. Lucia hosted the Dialogue, which america, the Caribbean Group (CARICOM), and the Dominican Republic co-chaired.
“Beneath 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.
Discussions centered on US-Caribbean cooperation to deal with firearms trafficking, counter transnational organized crime, strengthen maritime safety and forestall youth crime and violence via CBSI.
The State Division stated the Dialogue additionally included Caribbean regional and national-level efforts to deal with trafficking in individuals, irregular migration, and suggestions for additional progress.
The USA, CARICOM, and the Dominican Republic heads of delegation unanimously adopted the dialogue joint assertion, which units out Caribbean and U.S. priorities for safety cooperation via CBSI for the following yr, the State Division stated.
It stated the joint assertion additionally welcomes the authorization of a Multinational Safety Help (MSS) mission in Haiti underneath Chapter VII of the UN Constitution.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Caribbean Affairs and Haiti Barbara A. Feinstein led america delegation, which included illustration from the Bureau of Worldwide Narcotics and Legislation Enforcement Affairs; america 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 america and the Caribbean collectively prioritize disrupting illicit firearms trafficking, “an necessary side of our cooperation to deal with rising ranges of crime and violence within the area.”
It stated it really works with U.S. regulation enforcement, border safety companies, Caribbean counterparts, and regional establishments to “construct Caribbean capability to detect and forestall illegally trafficked firearms and ammunition and promote coordination and data sharing between regulation enforcement and border safety companies.
“The Caribbean Group, the Dominican Republic, and america are devoted to partnership and addressing our shared duty to combat 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, reaffirming their dedication to implement the Caribbean Firearms Trafficking Precedence Actions developed underneath the auspices of the CBSI.
Signed into regulation in July 2022, the State Division stated the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act “dramatically elevated felony 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 america with intent to assist transnational organized crime.
In June 2023, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, whose father is retired Jamaican economist Donald Harris, introduced that the U.S. Division of Justice (DOJ) would inform 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 U.S. interagency assist, inaugurated a Caribbean Crime Gun Intelligence Unit (CCGIU) to enhance intelligence and data sharing amongst Caribbean and U.S. regulation enforcement companies.
The U.S. Division of State stated the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Haitian Nationwide Police have been anticipated to signal a memorandum of understanding on Thursday to facilitate regulation enforcement info sharing via the ATF hint system.
The Division stated using the eTrace system can assist determine potential gun traffickers and suspects in felony investigations involving firearms.
It additionally helps ongoing collaboration between Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI) and the Haitian Nationwide Police to develop a Transnational Legal Investigative Unit (TCIU) to facilitate investigations and prosecution of transnational crimes, together with investigations with a U.S. nexus.
“The TCIU will concentrate on 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 via partnerships with Caribbean regulation enforcement and Customs companies, collectively seizing 344 firearms, 224,438 rounds of ammunition, and US$391,132.00.
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