Guilty Silence: UCREF and CONALD Falter in the Fight Against Insecurity and Illicit Trafficking in Haiti

Port-au-Prince, November 10, 2025 — Haiti is sinking into a spiral of guns, drugs, and dirty money. Suspect shipments cross borders, criminal networks thrive, and the institutions tasked with monitoring financial flows have fallen silent.

The Financial Intelligence Unit (UCREF), the National Commission for the Fight Against Drugs (CONALD), and the General Administration of Customs are at the heart of the legal control framework. Yet, their mutism in the face of rising trafficking is as questioning as it is worrying.

Key Institutions Plunged into Silence

• UCREF, led by Me Michelin Justable, is responsible for detecting and reporting suspicious transactions linked to money laundering.

• CONALD, under Karl-Henry Périclès, coordinates the national fight against drug trafficking.

• Haitian Customs, directed by Gérald Remplais, is tasked with inspecting cargo and fighting contraband.

None of these institutions has produced a public report or announced concrete results in months. According to judicial sources, assets seized by CONALD are allegedly being used for personal gain by certain officials—claims that demand an in-depth investigation.

The UNODC Paradox: Selective Support The role of the UNODC also raises questions. Despite heavy corruption accusations against the Director General of the ULCC, Hans Joseph, by figures like former Prime Minister Jean Henry Céant and attorney Samuel Madistin, the UNODC representative in Haiti recently visited the ULCC in a move perceived as tacit support. Why support a weakened anti-corruption body while ignoring the financial tracking structures that are currently at a standstill?

Haiti does not need the appearance of international cooperation; it needs a control system truly capable of following the money, the shipments, and the complicities.