With the primary goal of strengthening prevention and enforcement efforts against drug-related illicit activities—and ensuring a permanent, increasingly effective, and comprehensive operational framework—agencies within the Ministry of the Interior, the General Customs of the Republic, and other government bodies are coordinating their efforts. Since last September, this has involved the intensification of specific, joint operations.
Building upon multi-faceted policies that have proven effective in Cuba for over 65 years—and drawing on positive lessons from the January 2003 Operación Coraza Popular (Operation Popular Shield), while also addressing current internal and external challenges—nationwide operations have led to the arrest of more than 250 individuals currently under investigation.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, those detained include traffickers, street-level dealers, individuals who scavenge for washed-up drug shipments, and cultivators; several consumers involved in these activities were also identified. Furthermore, 15 “crack houses”—locations used for the consumption of crack cocaine and, to a lesser extent, synthetic cannabinoids—were dismantled. These sites were primarily located in high-risk, complex areas, most notably in Havana.
During this period, it has been possible to neutralize traffickers who carried out their criminal activities in complex environments and relapsed into drug marketing, served as support bases for Cuban organizers based abroad, or were dedicated to stealing shipments and acting in the capital, Matanzas and Granma.
In the investigative processes, various types of drugs have been seized such as marijuana, cocaine, crack and methamphetamine, however, the largest seizures correspond to synthetic cannabinoids in their current sales formats (sheets, strips and pieces of paper).
In the confrontation actions, more than 8,000,000 Cuban pesos have been seized; a figure greater than 35,000 dollars and 650 euros; as well as two cars, seven motorcycles and paraphernalia typical of the activity.
In order to strengthen the effectiveness of discovery at the air border by the troops of the General Customs of the Republic and the Ministry of the Interior, the specialized preparation of the forces has been reinforced; The analysis of advanced information is deepened; the discovery and confrontation of risky flights, with priority over those coming from countries in the region with the highest incidence of this type of events in our territory, as well as specialized work on air cargo, based on its proclivity and use in the introduction of drugs.
In accordance with the Zero Tolerance policy and with the conviction that against drugs we win, actions against this scourge continue throughout the country and on our borders, where the contribution of everyone, greater coordination between factors and perseverance in prevention and confrontation are essential.