US officials warn of uptick in weapons smuggled to Haiti from Florida

U.S. officials say there has been a noticeable surge in high-powered firearms being illegally trafficked from South Florida to Haiti.

At a Wednesday press conference, agents stood before tables covered in high-powered firearms and handguns that federal agents said they have seized in recent weeks and months.

Anthony Salisbury, a special agent with U.S. Homeland Security in Miami, said, “Not only have we seen a marked uptick in the number of weapons, but a serious increase in the caliber and type of firearm being illegally trafficked”.

"It's incredibly disturbing," Salisbury added. "In the wrong hands, these weapons are capable of causing a vast amount of destruction.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with Homeland Security Investigations, are the federal law enforcement entities primarily responsible for investigating international smuggling operations.