(EFE).- Cuban authorities seized more than two tons of drugs (2,290.6 kilograms) between January and September this year and prosecuted 1,213 Cubans and 13 foreigners for drug trafficking offenses, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday.
The largest seizures were recorded at the maritime border with a total of 245 shipments, including 1,052 kilograms of marijuana, 548.2 kilograms of cocaine and 155.21 kilograms of hashish, the report said.
The text shows that to this figure are added the drugs (372 kilos) seized in two international operations against drug trafficking, in which four people were arrested, and another case in collaboration with the US Coast Guard.
At Cuban airports, 91 people were arrested and 44.96 kilos of narcotics were confiscated, he added.
In total, Cuban authorities faced 19 cases of theft of drug packages that arrived on the island’s shores, seizing 32.8 kilos of drugs and arresting 33 people.
At Cuban airports, 91 people were arrested and 44.96 kilos of narcotics were confiscated, he added.
The report highlights that since July, the island’s customs office has taken increased measures to counter the “intent” of Cubans living in the United States, Suriname, Mexico and Ecuador to import drugs into the country using passengers, cargo and cargo. Postcards, merchandise and containers.
In this sense, he emphasized that from the United States they are trying to import synthetic cannabinoids in liquid form, in the form of spikes, masked in food, toiletries, sheets of paper and household appliances, and from Suriname cocaine with various forms of concealment.
It also reports the discovery of several marijuana plantations where thousands of plants and seeds were confiscated, mainly from private homes and farms in the eastern provinces of , Holguín and Santiago de Cuba.
From the USA, they are trying to introduce synthetic cannabinoids in liquid, spike or masked form in food, toiletries, sheets of paper and household appliances.
The Cuban government assures that it has a “zero tolerance” policy towards drugs, imposes strict sanctions on drug traffickers and offers its citizens free detoxification treatment options.
Havana is a signatory to the most important multilateral legal instruments approved by the United Nations, including 11 extradition treaties, 34 mutual legal assistance treaties, 42 drug treaties and 31 transfers of sanctioned persons with other countries.
On the island, drug trafficking is punished with heavy penalties, even life imprisonment and possession is punishable, while users only receive fines and warnings as these are minimum doses intended for personal use.
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