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Three Cubans were arrested this Thursday in a police operation in Cocosolo Zamora, in the Havana municipality of Marianao.
There was a "major operation" on Calle 144 between 37 and 39, and on 144 between 39 and 41, as specified on social media by the official profile of Elizabeth Ferrer.
During the raid, a couple consisting of a man known as "Pocholo" and his partner, named "Yamicel," was arrested. The third detainee is known by the nickname "El Tosky."
The three were engaged in the sale of "papelitos," a name by which "el químico" is also popularly known, a synthetic cannabinoid that has been causing significant harm in Cuba in recent years.
According to witnesses, in a desperate attempt to dispose of the evidence, one of the suspects tried to throw the packages down a drain. However, the swift intervention of the police is said to have prevented the loss of the evidence.
The authorities' actions have been met with cautious optimism by the residents of the area.
According to the official source—which boasts about the supposed effectiveness of the police—some residents mention that recently adopted measures have altered the atmosphere of the neighborhood, creating a greater sense of tranquility.
However, these actions are also expected to be part of a sustained effort to eradicate drug trafficking in the area.
Marianao, one of the Havana municipalities with the highest traffic
At the beginning of December, it was revealed that Marianao, La Lisa, Arroyo Naranjo, and San Miguel del Padrón are the municipalities with the highest drug trafficking and consumption in Havana, as explained by a colonel from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) on the television program "Hacemos Cuba," hosted by the regime's spokesperson Humberto López.
"There are the foundations of trafficking. There is a culture of consumption. The main drug traffickers and consumers are there,” explained Colonel Juan Carlos Poey, head of the specialized agency for combating drug trafficking.
It has also been specified that in the neighborhoods of La Güinera (Arroyo) and El Palenque (La Lisa), the consumption of methamphetamines has already been detected, which means that drug addiction has escalated and shifted from synthetic cannabinoids to methamphetamines (pills, powders, or crystalline psycho-stimulants). This is due to the fact that addiction increasingly demands higher doses and that these doses need to be stronger.
Operations against drug trafficking have become more noticeable in recent months, although the population still demands greater severity and effectiveness.
In September, a total of 22 people were arrested in Havana, accused of selling "the chemical."
In December, a Cuban dedicated to selling drugs in zone 4 of Alamar, in the municipality of Habana del Este, was arrested in a police operation. The individual was detained because it was determined that he was responsible for the intoxication of a person due to the consumption of this substance.
In a landmark trial held last December, the Provincial Court of Camagüey sentenced a prisoner to 19 years of imprisonment for bringing the drug known as “the chemical” into the prison where he was serving a previous sentence.
In recent days, a couple was arrested in Holguín after authorities discovered they were transporting drugs and a significant amount of cash.
In recent months, shocking scenes of young Cubans under the influence of "the chemical" have sparked alarm after going viral on social media. In the images, they are often seen experiencing convulsions, screaming, losing motor control, and engaging in dangerous acts.
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