Man tried to ship guns, thousands of rounds of ammo from Port of Miami to Haiti: feds
Per a federal complaint, Williamson Dossous was arrested on Sunday just before boarding a flight to Haiti. He faces charges of smuggling goods and illegally exporting firearms and ammunition.
The charges stem from a Jan. 16 inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection of a cargo container headed to Cap-Haïtien, Haiti. Agents discovered firearms and ammunition concealed in bundles of clothing and wrapped in aluminum foil. The shipment had been labeled as 'household goods and personal effects.'
READ MORE: New tactics, routes arm Haitian gangs. Florida a key to illicit flow of guns and ammo
Investigators with the Department of Homeland Security say Dossous didn't purchase any of the weapons himself — a common tactic used to avoid leaving a paper trail.
In March, federal agents interviewed a woman who bought two of the firearms 37 days before the seizure. She said she was a friend of Dossous and that he had driven her to purchase the guns for protection. Afterward, she left them in his car during a family emergency and never got them back. She claimed Dossous ignored her calls and left town.
Two other guns were traced to Dossous's son, who purchased them 122 days before the seizure. A third came from a patient at a chiropractic clinic where Dossous is listed as corporate secretary. That woman said she didn't know how Dossous ended up with the gun, but had heard it was seized during the shipping attempt.
Another weapon was bought by another acquaintance, who claimed it had been in a vehicle during a December 2024 car accident and hadn't seen it since. He admitted knowing Dossous as someone who frequently shipped goods to Haiti. Flight records show the two traveled together to Cap-Haïtien in July 2023.
In a June 13 interview, Dossous told investigators he has shipped containers to Haiti for over 20 years, averaging two or three per year. He denied any knowledge of firearms in the January shipment.
But around a week later, a confidential source provided authorities with a recorded phone call in which Dossous discussed the shipment and law enforcement's interest in collecting his DNA. He is heard saying: 'They going to get my fingerprints on them [guns] because I touched them… I was there when he was doing the stuff… I know about the guns, I touched the guns.'
Authorities verified the voice as Dossous's and confirmed the phone number belonged to his girlfriend, with a billing address matching his residence.
Investigators also confirmed Dossous did not hold the export license required to legally ship firearms and ammunition overseas.
Following his arrest at the airport, Dossous reportedly overheard agents discussing another smuggling case and spontaneously said: 'I know my prints are going to be on the guns because I touched them. I'm not going to lie about that.'
Dossous appeared before Magistrate Judge Lisette M. Reid on Monday, where she set his bond at $300,000, which he posted and has since been released on various conditions including handing over his passport.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
an hour ago
Marine veteran addresses Congress after father forcibly detained by immigration agents
A Marine veteran whose father was detained by federal immigration agents while at his landscaping job in California last month told Congress members on Tuesday that his father is "traumatized" by what happened and charged that the immigration system is "broken." Customs and Border Patrol agents arrested Narciso Barranco, who is undocumented, in Santa Ana on June 21, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Video of him being forcibly detained showed masked agents holding him down on the street and repeatedly punching him after he ran from agents. "My father has no criminal record and should have never been attacked by these agents," his son, Alejandro Barranco, told Democratic members of the House Committee on Homeland Security during an oversight forum examining the Trump administration's detention and deportation practices on Tuesday. "He supported his family and paid taxes. He is a human being, but he was not treated with the basic dignity he deserved." Alejandro Barranco said his father, who has two other sons who are currently serving as Marines, is "deeply devoted to this country." The veteran said he believes the current immigration system is "broken." 'Cruel and indiscriminate raids are tearing families apart and punishing hard-working people who contribute to our communities every day," Alejandro Barranco said. "My father, like so many others, deserves a fair chance to stay in this country he calls home. The country is better because of people like my dad. It is time our policies reflected that." Narciso Barranco has since been released from custody bond but is "still scared," his son said. "He's still traumatized from everything that happened," Alejandro Barranco said. The Department of Homeland Security said following the arrest that Narciso Barranco tried to evade law enforcement, "swung a weed whacker directly at an agent's face" and resisted commands. "The agents took appropriate action and followed their training to use the minimum amount of force necessary to resolve the situation in a manner that prioritizes the safety of the public and our officers," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement at the time. Alejandro Barranco said during Tuesday's forum that his father got scared after the masked agents approached him while he was at work. "As he worked, he noticed masked men approaching him, and was quickly surrounded by men who did not identify themselves and never presented any type of warrant," he said. "Terrified, he ran. They chased him through the parking lot and into a crowded street. They pointed guns at him, pepper-sprayed him. They tackled him to the ground and kicked him." When asked his thoughts about Marines being sent to assist in immigration operations, Alejandro said he believes many would feel "confused, hurt and just sad about everything that is going on." "I served with a lot of Marines who are of Latino backgrounds and whose parents and family members, some of them are undocumented," he said. When asked by Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif., if he was still loyal to the U.S., the Marine veteran replied, "Yes, of course." "I decided to join the Marine Corps out of the love I have for this country and to bring honor to my family name," Alejandro Barranco said. "When I told my dad I was going to enlist, he cried with pride. He told me to give everything I had, because we should do anything and everything to give back to our country." Narciso Barranco was released from federal custody on July 15 and has an immigration status hearing in August, according to Orange City Council officials.
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Florida official encourages people with undocumented exes to call ICE hotline
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier's office got a tip from someone whose abusive ex overstayed their visa. The husband is now being deported. AG offers to do the same for others. Florida's top prosecutor is encouraging victims of domestic violence, or anyone with an 'ex' in the United States illegally, to call his office. "If your ex is in this country illegally, please feel free to reach out to our office. We'd be happy to assist," Uthmeier said in a social media post. Uthmeier said his office received a tip from someone whose abusive former partner overstayed a tourism visa. The alleged abuser is now in the process of being deported, he said. Only the federal government can deport individuals in the country illegally, but Florida has been working closely with the Trump administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE already has a tip line that receives more than 15,000 calls a month, according to the agency. Staff collect information received from phone calls and turn over the information to specific programs within the Department of Homeland Security. "Individuals across the world can report suspicious criminal activity to the ICE Tip Line 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Highly trained specialists take reports from both the public and law enforcement agencies on more than 400 laws enforced by ICE," the agency says on its website. We recently got a tip from someone whose abusive ex overstayed a tourism visa. He is now cued up for your ex is in this country illegally, please feel free to reach out to our office. We'd be happy to assist. The agency said it does not offer rewards for aiding in immigration enforcement. ICE did not immediately respond to a USA TODAY request for comment. Who is Uthmeier, the brains behind 'Alligator Alcatraz'? Uthmeier has been one of the most vocal supporters of the president's immigration agenda. As the federal government has ramped up detaining and deporting immigrants who are in the country illegally, Uthmeier, along with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have prioritized using state resources to complement the federal efforts. Uthmeier, formerly the governor's chief of staff, was also involved with a controversial program in 2022 to fly migrants from Texas to Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. Now, he's most known for his most recent idea, the detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz." On June 19, Uthmeier posted a video to X suggesting that the "virtually abandoned" Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, a 39-square mile property with a 10,500-foot runway, could be easily converted into a temporary immigrant detention center to aid in Florida's efforts to locate and deport "criminal aliens." Alligator Alcatraz, which began receiving detainees earlier this month, can house up to 3,000 people. "We want to fill this place up," Uthmeier told President Donald Trump during his visit to the detention facility on July 1. The attorney general said the president was the "inspiration" for the Everglades detention center, adding "hopefully there's more to come." Ana Goñi-Lessan, state watchdog reporter for the USA TODAY Network – Florida, can be reached at agonilessan@
The Hill
6 hours ago
- The Hill
Ketamine seized en route from Europe to southern Florida: CBP
(NewsNation) — A series of drug seizures from international air cargo is catching the attention of federal agents. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has seen a pattern of ketamine shipments being sent directly from Europe and Florida, bypassing traditional smuggling corridors. In the last six weeks, CBP officers in Philadelphia intercepted seven express mail shipments from Europe and seized a total of 130 pounds of ketamine hydrochloride. The drugs were concealed in fake packages labeled as everyday objects — including fishing rods, air filters and Mercedes-Benz headlights. Every package had the same destination: South Florida, specifically Broward County, home to Miami's bustling club scene. Unlike fentanyl or meth — which often enter the U.S. across land borders — the use of international express mail and fake product labels makes this type of smuggling harder to catch. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, ketamine is a powerful anesthetic commonly used in veterinary medicine and sometimes in hospitals for pain relief. Ketamine is a very dangerous anesthetic that can seriously harm abusers and unsuspecting victims. It's an illicit drug that CBP officers take pride in intercepting before it can reach our communities. — CBP (@CBP) July 21, 2025 But on the streets, it goes by names like Special K, Donkey Dust, and Cat Killer. It's often smoked, snorted or slipped into drinks — and authorities say it is sometimes combined with ecstasy or club drugs to intensify the high. The drug has also been linked to sexual assaults, where predators use it to incapacitate victims, the agency said. Investigations into how these shipments were being routed to the Sunshine State —and who is behind them — are still ongoing. While ketamine is flying in from Europe, the U.S.-Mexico border is still the site of smuggling. On Friday, July 18, CBP officers in El Paso, Texas, arrested a U.S. citizen trying to smuggle fentanyl by concealing it in his body. The man was stopped at the Bridge of the Americas pedestrian crossing, and a K-9 alerted officers. After a medical scan, doctors discovered two condom-wrapped bundles in his rectum — one filled with powdered fentanyl, the other with pills. That's about 132 grams of one of the deadliest synthetic opioids in the world. Authorities say this kind of smuggling is extremely dangerous —and a reminder that traffickers are pushing limits across air, sea and land.
