Cuban Border Guard Troops and the United States Coast Guard seized 17 containers holding 340.7 kilograms of marijuana in waters off Banes, Holguín province.[1] The two people aboard the suspect speedboat were later detained by the United States authorities, according to Cuba’s Interior Ministry.[1]

Cuba’s Interior Ministry said the Miami Coast Guard’s Seventh District telephoned the Border Guard Troops at 11:07 that morning about a white boat with two outboard motors and two crew seen five miles north of the province and suspected of drug trafficking.[2] Two Border Guard surface units found the boat at 12:15, chased it, and saw bundles thrown from the launch into the sea during the pursuit.[2] Cuban guards followed the boat as far as 18.8 miles north of Faro Lucrecia, where they saw a Miami Coast Guard helicopter overhead.[1] Cuba’s Interior Ministry said the US Coast Guard cutter Dependable 626 was in the area and that its crew intercepted the boat.[2]

The marijuana thrown into the sea was recovered and laboratory tests confirmed it was marijuana.[2] The containers were taken to the Holguín naval squadron and handed to the provincial operational guard, which is continuing investigations to bring those involved to criminal responsibility.[2] The Interior Ministry framed the case as proof of cooperation with the United States against drug trafficking and of Cuba’s stated zero tolerance for the trade.[2] Cubanet reported that Cuban authorities had broken up a drug-trafficking group in April 2023 and seized more than 300 kilograms of marijuana, cocaine and amphetamines, detaining 26 people.[1]