Haitian security forces on Friday, November 14, 2025, carried out a large-scale joint operation targeting the leadership and members of the notorious 400 Mawozo gang, which had fortified and blocked sections of National Road #3 (RN3) in the Tabarre and Croix-des-Bouquets areas.
The coordinated, intelligence-led mission brought together specialized units from the Haitian National Police (PNH), the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), and the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAd’H), marking one of the most extensive security operations undertaken this year.
According to an official statement from the GSF, the operation began at dawn and continued until 2100 hours, employing both ground and aerial assets from all three institutions.
The offensive resulted in several gang members being neutralized and the seizure of multiple weapons, including an M50-caliber Barrett rifle, six assault rifles, and three pistols.
Security forces also intercepted and seized an armored bulldozer used by the gang to erect barricades along RN3.
The machine, which had significantly reinforced the gang’s control of the area, was captured with the assistance of a PNH bulldozer at the junction of Rue Grande Plaine and RD-303.
In Croix-des-Bouquets—specifically in the Santo and Lilavois zones—an aerial support helicopter from the PNH was forced to make an emergency landing after a mechanical malfunction.
The elite tactical team onboard was immediately secured and evacuated by ground units.
The rescue operation, however, came under heavy fire from gang elements attempting to impede the extraction.
Despite the challenges, security forces successfully conducted the evacuation and continued their push into gang-held areas.
The statement emphasized that the joint offensive signals a turning point in the country’s fight against armed criminal groups.
“This operation sends a clear and unequivocal message: the era of unchecked gang dominance is over,” the GSF declared, stressing that Haiti’s security institutions are fully mobilizing their capabilities—on land, at sea, and in the air—to restore public safety.
Authorities said more intelligence-led missions and ongoing patrols will continue until the 400 Mawozo and other criminal groups are decisively dismantled.
The GSF reaffirmed its commitment to protecting communities and ensuring that Haitians can exercise their basic rights without fear of violence.
“Joint intelligence-driven operations and continuous security patrols will persist until these criminal groups are decisively defeated,” the statement read, adding that the support of the Haitian public and government remains crucial as security institutions work to restore stability nationwide.
