Earlier this week, on December 2, 2025, the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS), the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Small Arms Survey jointly released a report titled Pathway to Policy: Firearms Trafficking and Public Health in the Caribbean. The report exposes how the United States has become the main source of illicit firearms fueling a surge in violence across the region.
Between 2017 and early 2025, law enforcement in the Bahamas, Guyana and other Caribbean nations seized 29 shipments of illegal weapons at ports, and 27 of them traced back to the United States. Maritime shipping routes out of Florida and Georgia accounted for nearly 70 percent of these seizures in six Caribbean countries, including the Bahamas and Jamaica.
Communities from Kingston to Nassau are grappling with spikes in shootings, gang recruitment among youth and even hospital violence, all closely linked to the influx of high-caliber firearms. Public health experts warn that unchecked gun trafficking is undermining regional stability, eroding trust in institutions and deterring tourists and investors.
The report calls on the United States to tighten supervision of gun exports, strengthen background checks for arms dealers and ramp up port inspections. It also urges Caribbean governments to bolster regional cooperation, invest in data-driven tracking systems and launch prevention programs targeting at-risk youth.
As digital nomads, business leaders and travelers explore Caribbean shores, awareness of these security challenges is more important than ever. The findings highlight the urgency for cross-border collaboration and policy innovation to stem the tide of gun violence and protect the region's future.
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Report identifies U.S. as major source of gun violence in Caribbean
cgtn.com
