Milk Theft Scandal in Cuba: Powdered Milk for Infants Sold Illegally in Havana Café for 1,650 Pesos per Pound

Amidst the worsening scarcity of powdered milk in Cuba, authorities have reported the arrest of five individuals involved in the theft of 197 sacks of this essential product, which was intended for children under two through the country's regulated family basket program. This theft took place at a facility belonging to the En Frigo company, located in East Havana. Security cameras captured the nighttime transfer of the milk sacks to a private residence. The stolen milk's estimated international market value exceeds $25,000.

The primary buyer allegedly paid three million Cuban pesos for the stolen goods and resold it in a café in the Boyeros district for 1,650 pesos per pound, aiming to earn over 12 million pesos in profit. Joint operations by the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) and the National Revolutionary Police (PNR) have successfully recovered more than 70% of the stolen milk, as reported by Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Jiménez, head of the Technical Investigations Directorate (DTI), on the National Television News (NTV).

Those involved are facing charges of theft and possession of stolen goods and are currently in provisional custody as investigations continue. Among the detainees are employees of the refrigeration company, machine room operators, and external receivers. Disciplinary actions, including permanent dismissals, have also been applied to other employees indirectly linked to the incident.

This case has sparked outrage among the public, particularly among mothers who have long complained about the inability to secure powdered milk for their children. Reports from various provinces highlight irregular or nonexistent deliveries of the product meant for children, forcing the state to offer inadequate alternatives or simply leave beneficiaries without coverage.

The powdered milk crisis in Cuba is not an isolated occurrence but rather a consequence of an economic policy that leaves millions of Cubans with salaries in Cuban pesos while essential goods are sold in foreign currencies. The rationing system, in place for over six decades, has failed to provide equitable and sufficient distribution of essential foodstuffs.

Cuban children under seven are supposed to receive six bags of powdered milk monthly through the ration book. However, authorities have admitted that fulfilling this requirement is currently impossible. In Sancti Spíritus, for instance, local officials have reported "no alternatives or replacements for powdered milk" for those affected.

In response to the shortage, emergency measures have been implemented, such as distributing liquid milk on alternate days and below nutritional needs. Children aged 1 to 2 years, for example, receive only 917 ml daily. Concurrently, the price for a kilogram of powdered milk on the informal market can reach up to 2,000 Cuban pesos. Although the product is available in stores using freely convertible currency, its price in foreign currency is unaffordable for a significant portion of the population.

Faced with the severity of the shortage, the Cuban government has sought assistance from the United Nations' World Food Program for the first time to maintain the monthly distribution of one kilogram of milk to children under seven years old.

The theft and illegal sale of powdered milk is not an isolated event but a reflection of the deep structural crisis the country faces: an outdated rationing system, widespread corruption throughout the distribution chain, and an economy that marginalizes millions of Cubans who lack access to foreign currency, leaving them without options to adequately nourish their children.