Cuban Customs Officers Honored for Seizing Gunpowder and Drugs at Havana Airport

Two young customs officers in Havana have been honored for preventing the entry of 90 packages of black powder from Miami and intercepting several drug smuggling attempts at José Martí International Airport, as reported by Cuban Television News.

The recognition ceremony took place at the Bosque de los Mártires de los Órganos de la Seguridad del Estado monument complex and concluded with the awarding of the Customs Honor Seal to Camila Solá Denis and José Ángel Milián Fernández.

On August 8th, Solá, an X-ray specialist at the airport's terminal 2, identified the explosive substance on a flight from Miami. Although the authorities did not specify its intended destination, state television suggested it could have been for fireworks or sabotage.

Milián was successful in spotting three drug trafficking attempts in August. These included methamphetamines hidden in scented candles and modeling clay from Mexico, along with cocaine found in the luggage of a passenger arriving from Jamaica, according to the television report.

Customs Officers: The Unyielding Shield of the Revolution

During the ceremony, Nelson Cordovés Reyes, head of the General Customs of the Republic, declared that the institution's workers serve as “an unbreakable shield of the Revolution,” linking airport control efforts with political rhetoric.

While the official recognition highlights the work of these young customs officers, the accompanying narrative turns each discovery into a political act. In reality, the extreme vigilance at Cuban airports coexists with passengers' fears of being used as unwitting "mules" and uncertainty about whether these operations genuinely combat drug trafficking or merely bolster the image of a perpetually besieged state.

Increasing Ingenuity in Drug Trafficking Attempts

These incidents add to a growing list of increasingly clever attempts to smuggle drugs into Cuba. In recent months, Customs has reported substances hidden in electric showers, water motors, tuna cans, religious figures like Eleguá, clothing soaked in liquid cocaine, gummies, and even within travelers' bodies.

Authorities claim these findings demonstrate the effectiveness of X-ray technology and staff training. However, details about arrests or networks involved are rarely disclosed, leaving the public with the official version that reinforces the “zero tolerance” stance against drugs.