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A 52-year-old Cuban was detained in Tabasco during a police operation that, according to local media, uncovered alleged drugs in the hands of two foreigners. The arrest took place in the Buena Vista ranchería, fourth section of the municipality of Centro, an area where state authorities have intensified actions against drug dealing.
According to Latinus, the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) of Tabasco identified the Cuban as Daniel "N," also known as "El Pelón," and the other detainee as Carlos "N," also known as "El Kevin," who is 21 years old and originally from Venezuela.
Both were apprehended by members of the Interinstitutional Tactical Reaction Force (FIRT) Olmeca, who were conducting an operation when they detected the two men with narcotics in their possession.
The Heraldo Tabasco reported that the detainees were found with small bags containing dry plant material resembling marijuana, as well as others containing a granular substance similar to fentanyl or crack, along with cash and a handbag.
The state police indicated that the substances were handed over to the relevant authorities as part of the investigation file for crimes against public health.
The detention of the Cuban takes place against a backdrop of an increasing presence of migrants in southern and southeastern Mexico, regions where many nationals from the island have been stranded on their way to the United States and are facing conditions of vulnerability, precariousness, or, in extreme cases, accidental or forced involvement in local criminal dynamics.
In recent months, there have been other cases of Cubans detained for alleged crimes related to drug trafficking. Last August, a man identified as Maels “N” was arrested in Tapachula, Chiapas, with 13 bags of crystal, according to Diario del Sur.
Weeks later, another case caught the attention of the Mexican press, with the arrest of Liván O., a 26-year-old Cuban detained in Monterrey after assaulting a woman to steal her iPhone.
During the investigation, authorities discovered a shipment of 90 kilograms of marijuana hidden in a residence where drug doses were allegedly distributed.
Although none of these arrests allows for generalizing about the Cuban community in Mexico, which is primarily made up of migrants who work, survive, and hope for a safer future, they do reveal the fragility in which many of them live.
The lack of documents, unemployment, and pressure to continue north leaves them vulnerable to abuse, extortion, or dangerous situations.
Daniel “N” and his companion have been placed at the disposal of the Public Ministry, which will determine their legal situation in the upcoming hours.
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