U.S. Offers $3M Reward for Information on Haiti's Criminal Groups

The U.S. is offering up to $3 million for information on Haiti's Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif gangs, designated as terrorist organizations. These gangs control vast areas and are linked to extortion, kidnappings, and trafficking. Over a million have been displaced, exacerbating food insecurity and violence.

The United States has announced a reward of up to $3 million for information regarding the financial operations of Haiti's notorious criminal groups, Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif. These organizations, which have been designated as terrorist entities, consist of numerous gangs across Port-au-Prince, the agricultural Artibonite region, and central Haiti.

This initiative marks a strategic shift in the U.S.' approach, traditionally targeting individual gang leaders with bounties. Despite intensified efforts by Haitian security forces, supported by U.N. and U.S. forces, to suppress the armed factions dominating the capital, significant arrests of major gang figures remain elusive.

Once reliant on elite sponsorship, these gangs have found greater financial independence, extending their influence over urban and rural areas. Linked to extensive criminal activities ranging from extortion and kidnappings to trafficking, they have displaced over a million people, severely impacting food security and regional stability according to reports from Mercy Corps and the U.N.