Cuban National Apprehended at Quito Airport with Cocaine Concealed in Sardine Cans

A Cuban citizen was taken into custody on Monday, July 28, at Quito's Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Ecuador. He was attempting to return to Cuba with over a kilogram of cocaine cleverly hidden in sardine cans and other items in his luggage. The arrest occurred after a drug-sniffing dog, named Chispa, alerted authorities to the presence of illegal substances in the unidentified passenger's suitcase, just before 9 a.m., according to the news outlet Extra.

Upon conducting a thorough inspection, authorities uncovered a white powder discreetly wrapped in latex packages and metal containers labeled as sardines. Field tests confirmed the substance was cocaine hydrochloride. The total amount seized was 1.26 kilograms, equal to approximately 12,600 individual doses. The contraband was intended for Cuba, where its value could significantly increase due to scarcity and rising demand among young people, as acknowledged by Cuban officials.

The detained individual is now facing prosecution by the Ecuadorian legal system. Under Article 220 of Ecuador's Comprehensive Organic Criminal Code (COIP), drug trafficking can result in prison sentences of up to 13 years, depending on the quantity and type of drug involved.

In December 2024, Ecuador's National Police intercepted 964 grams of cocaine at Guayaquil Airport. The drugs, disguised as natural supplements in capsules, were bound for Havana and had a street value exceeding $19,000 in Cuba. The initial screenings failed to detect the drugs until a specialized canine unit intervened. Additionally, this past February, another Cuban, identified as Miguel O., was arrested along with an Ecuadorian and a Venezuelan as part of a network smuggling 74 kilograms of cocaine base paste. All three face serious drug trafficking charges, which carry severe penalties in Ecuador.

These incidents highlight a troubling aspect of Cuban migration: economic desperation and the exploitation by drug trafficking networks of vulnerable individuals. Some are unknowingly used as "mules," while others actively participate due to limited opportunities and the economic collapse on the island. Meanwhile, Cuban authorities have admitted to an increase in drug use, particularly among teenagers and young adults, contradicting decades of official claims denying the existence of this social issue in Cuba.

Attempts to smuggle drugs into Cuba via luggage, parcels, or organized networks—such as those dismantled in Ecuador—are a pressing warning about the growing drug trade along routes where Cuba is emerging more frequently, not only as a transit point but also as a destination.