U.S., Caricom to battle arms smuggling

U.S., Caricom to battle arms smuggling The United States and the Caribbean Community plan to increase import and export controls and cooperate on tracing firearms and ammunition in an effort to slow illegal smuggling of small arms, the U.S. State Department said Monday.
   The announcement is a follow-up on an agreement last March to work together to fight arms smuggling, which is seen as a key driver in Caribbean crime.
   The announcement specified that the U.S. government is committed to providing Caricom with assistance in strengthening import/export controls, end-user checks, stockpile management and security practices, destruction of surplus and illicit stocks of small arms and light weapons, and with improvements in interdiction by tracing weapons that are seized.