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The official page Guantánamo and its Truth reported this Thursday on Facebook that a police operation in the Niceto Pérez municipality, Guantánamo province, concluded with the arrest of seven individuals accused of being part of an alleged network engaged in the theft and illegal slaughter of large livestock.
According to the publication, the detainees were intercepted at various points across the territory. Two of them were reportedly caught while transporting backpacks containing meat that allegedly came from the slaughter of three animals.
Two more suspects were discovered while they were dismembering a horse in a rural area known as Burenes.
The official message highlighted the "effectiveness of the cooperation between the community and the authorities" and celebrated the outcome of the operation as a "complete neutralization" of the alleged criminal organization.
However, the statement did not provide details about the identities of those arrested, the conditions of the police procedure, or any other evidence supporting the accusations. It was also not reported whether the individuals would face formal charges or if legal due process was upheld.
The illegal sacrifice and trade of meat have become increasingly common in eastern Cuba, where food shortages, inflation, and a lack of options in state-run markets drive many people to seek desperate alternatives for survival.
In Cuba, current laws penalize the unauthorized slaughter of large livestock severely, a crime that can lead to a prison sentence of up to 20 years.
While the authorities present these cases as "strikes against crime," many Cubans argue that the real issue lies in the deep economic and food crisis the country is experiencing, where accessing a piece of meat has become a luxury.
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