Assault Rifles and Thousands of Cartridges Seized by Police

Several assault rifles, thousands of 5.56 mm and 7.6 mm caliber cartridges, and numerous tactical materials were seized by the Haitian National Police during operations conducted on January 5 and 6 in several areas of the metropolitan region. This report from the institution's spokesperson, Michelange Louis Jeune, details actions affecting notably Bel-air and La Saline.

These operations, according to Mr. Louis Jeune, are conducted by several units of the HNP with the support of the Task Force.

In addition to firearms and ammunition, the HNP claims to have seized various tactical equipment, including bulletproof vests, ballistic helmets, a drone, spotting scopes, and several bladed weapons.

“Four uniforms attributed to different specialized units — including UDMO, CIMO, SWAT Team, and USGPN — are also among the confiscated items,” the spokesperson specified, revealing attempts by certain criminal groups to impersonate law enforcement officers.

Without specifying the number, the HNP indicated that several individuals were also arrested during the interventions. The institution warned about new strategies used by bandits in their operating methods.

“After using police vests and badges, some armed individuals would now wear vests marked 'press' to impersonate journalists to evade controls and create confusion on the ground,” Commissioner Louis Jeune specified.

While recalling that these interventions are part of the fight to weaken the operational capacity of gangs and regain control of strategic areas of the capital, the Haitian National Police reaffirmed its commitment to continue targeted interventions until the definitive elimination of criminal gangs.

Gedeon Delva / Le Relief