Related videos:
The Cuban government announced the creation of the National Drug Observatory (OND), an institution aimed at the surveillance and monitoring of the drug phenomenon on the island, with an emphasis on the detection of new psychoactive substances and the analysis of trends in the consumption and trafficking of narcotics.
According to a report published in the newspaper Granma, the project, led by the Ministry of Justice (Minjus), will be implemented throughout 2025 and will include a Early Warning System, designed to quickly identify and report the presence of new drugs and minimize the risks associated with their use and distribution.
According to statements from Alexis Batista Segrera, director of International Relations at Minjus, the OND will provide key information for the formulation of national policies, enabling greater coordination among the institutions involved in the prevention and control of drug trafficking. Additionally, it will be responsible for collecting and producing data to meet international commitments regarding drug monitoring.
The observatory is part of a cooperation program with the European Union through Copolad III, a project that provides technical assistance for the establishment of these monitoring centers in Latin America and the Caribbean. Workshops were held in December 2024 and February 2025 with the participation of regional experts to define the structure and functions of the OND.
It is expected that the observatory will begin operations in July 2025, under the direction of Minjus and with the participation of various government agencies, including the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), the Attorney General's Office, and the ministries of Education, Higher Education, and Public Health.
Increase in anti-drug operations
The announcement from the OND comes in the context of an increase in anti-drug operations in Cuba. In recent months, the police and Customs have intensified controls and seizures, particularly at airports and areas with high drug trafficking activity.
Recently, authorities reported the arrest of a passenger at the José Martí International Airport in Havana, who was attempting to enter the country with three kilograms of methamphetamines hidden in his luggage. Additionally, in another operation at the Juan Gualberto Gómez International Airport in Matanzas, electronic cigarettes containing hexahydrocannabinol (HHC), a highly potent synthetic cannabinoid, were confiscated.
Additionally, the Cuban Customs reported another drug seizure at the Havana airport, publishing images of substances hidden in suitcase linings and jackets, detected by the specialized forces of MININT.
In Havana, the police have conducted a series of operations in municipalities such as Marianao, Arroyo Naranjo, Cerro, Guanabacoa, and East Havana, where dozens of individuals linked to the sale and distribution of drugs have been arrested. One of the most recent cases involved the capture of an individual with 128 doses of "el químico", a synthetic drug that has proliferated on the island in recent years.
Experts have warned about the increasing consumption of more dangerous substances, such as methamphetamines and synthetic opioids, which has led authorities to strengthen their control strategy.
Filed under:
