A 20-year-old Cuban immigrant, Hugo Alberto Formes Romero, has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison in Russia after being found guilty of the attempted illegal drug distribution as part of an organized network, according to the Volgograd region's Prosecutor's Office.
The Traktorozavodsky District Court found Formes guilty of attempted illegal narcotics sales "in significant quantities" through information and telecommunication networks, including the Internet, within an organized group, stated a release from the Prosecutor's Office.
On September 23, 2025, just four days after arriving in Russia on a tourist visa, Formes was apprehended by the police displaying signs of intoxication and was taken to a police station, where he refused to undergo a drug test.
The case was forwarded to the Traktorozavodsky District Court. During the hearing, the then 19-year-old pleaded not guilty, stating he was exhausted at the time of his arrest, had not consumed drugs, and had been in Russia for only four days.
The court concluded that Formes violated legal requirements by refusing the police-administered drug test and ordered his arrest for 24 hours in a temporary detention center, as well as his deportation for consuming narcotic or psychotropic substances without a medical prescription, detailed the Unified Press Service of the Russian courts.
However, the investigation linked the young Cuban to a drug trafficking network. According to the prosecutor's official statement, it was established during the trial that the accused arrived in Russia with the intention of engaging in illegal drug trafficking activities, as a member of an organized group.
Authorities explained that, following instructions from his contact, Formes attempted to illegally sell a stash containing 0.946 grams of mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone) by setting up a hideout on Zholudeva Street in the Traktorozavodsky district of Volgograd.
Nevertheless, the drug sale was thwarted by law enforcement.
Formes is to serve his sentence in a maximum-security penal colony. At the prosecutor's request, the court confiscated the accused's mobile phone, used in the crime, for the benefit of the state.
The sentence has yet to take effect and can be appealed by the parties involved.
A Prosecutor's Office representative told the news portal V1.RU that "criminals deliberately fly to Volgograd to engage in drug trafficking activities," as "they appear to find information on earnings through messaging apps and arrive for that purpose."
“It's important to understand that if a person consciously takes a risk, the law holds them accountable. Even a small quantity, coupled with other factors, constitutes a serious crime," the representative warned.
Also in September 2025, a 41-year-old Cuban citizen was arrested in Volgograd for alleged large-scale drug trafficking. According to police, the individual traveled from Cuba with the intent to distribute narcotics under the guise of tourism.
During a police operation, officers seized 29 packages of N-methylamphetamine, a synthetic drug, from the suspect and from hideouts he had prepared.
Cuban Drug Trafficking Activities in Russia
Why was Hugo Alberto Formes Romero arrested in Russia?
Hugo Alberto Formes Romero was arrested in Russia for showing signs of drug intoxication and was later linked to an organized drug trafficking network.
What was the outcome of the trial for Formes Romero?
Formes Romero was found guilty of attempted illegal drug distribution and sentenced to eight and a half years in a maximum-security penal colony.
Can the sentence be appealed?
Yes, the sentence has not yet taken effect and can be appealed by the involved parties.