Cuba seizes 2,290 kg of drugs and prosecutes 1,213 people for drug trafficking in 2023
HAVANA, Nov 3 Cuban authorities seized more than two tons of drugs (2,290.6 kilograms) between January and September of this year
they prosecuted 1,213 Cubans and 13 foreigners for drug trafficking crimes, as reported this Thursday by the Ministry of the Interior (Minint).
The largest seizures were recorded on the maritime border with a total of 245 shipments, which included 1,052 kilograms of marijuana, 548.2 kilograms of cocaine and 155.21 kilograms of hashish, the report detailed.
He points out that to this figure is added the drugs seized (372 kilos) in two international operations against drug trafficking in which four people were arrested, plus another case in cooperation with the United States Coast Guard.
In total, he indicates, the Cuban authorities faced 19 cases of theft of caches (packages of drugs) that arrived on the island’s coasts, in which 32.8 kilos of drugs were seized and 33 people were arrested.
At Cuban airports, 91 people were arrested and 44.96 kilos of narcotics were seized, he adds.
The report highlights that since July the General Customs of the island has reinforced measures to confront the intention of Cubans living in the United States, Suriname, Mexico and Ecuador, to introduce drugs into the country with the use of passengers, cargo, and shipments, postcards, merchandise and containers.
In this sense, he highlighted that from the United States, they are trying to introduce synthetic cannabinoids, in liquid form, stings, masked in food, toiletries, sheets of paper and household appliances, and from Suriname, cocaine with various forms of concealment.
It also reports the detection of several acts of marijuana planting, in which thousands of plants and seeds were seized, mainly in private homes and farms in the eastern provinces of Granma, Holguín and Santiago de Cuba.
The Government of Cuba assures that it maintains a policy of “zero tolerance” towards drugs, applies strong sanctions to drug traffickers and provides its citizens with free treatment options for detoxification.
Havana is a signatory of the main multilateral legal instruments approved by the United Nations, including 11 extradition treaties, 34 legal assistance treaties, 42 drug treaties and 31 transfers of sanctioned persons with other countries.
On the island, drug trafficking is punishable with high sentences and even life imprisonment and possession is also penalized, while consumers only receive fines and warnings as they involve minimum doses intended for personal use.
