January 18, 2026
At the capital’s port, customs officers intercepted in a container from the United States two devices akin to frequency jammers along with a sophisticated antenna. “These items have been handed over to the National Police,” the General Administration of Customs said, noting the risks posed by devices capable of neutralizing drones deployed by the state.
Against the backdrop of expanding gangs, the use of drones has become a key tool for bypassing barricades and directly targeting their hideouts. The emergence of anti-drone equipment, however, shows the armed groups’ intent to respond on the technological front, heightening the security threat.
Nearly 90% of Port-au-Prince remains under the sway of criminal gangs, where kidnappings and attacks are multiplying. The confrontation has taken the form of a technological arms race, with each innovation by law enforcement prompting a countermeasure by criminals, making the balance of national security increasingly fragile.
