Brazilian authorities dealt a blow to a network that exploited Cuban migrants as part of a human trafficking scheme and scams involving airline tickets, operating through the border of Roraima state in northern Brazil.
The police operation, called Operation Malecón, was carried out on Thursday in Boa Vista and resulted in the arrest of a suspect identified as the main coordinator of the network, as well as the seizure of 12 thousand reais in cash in various currencies, including US dollars and Cuban pesos, according to the Brazilian outlet g1 Roraima.
The operation was also confirmed by the Civil Police of Roraima, which publicly reported that the objective was to dismantle a human trafficking scheme linked to Cuban immigrants and a scam involving airline miles.
According to the investigation, the alleged head of the network is a 32-year-old Venezuelan identified as José Alberto Lira Lezama, who was arrested during the operation. According to the authorities, the suspect coordinated the logistics for the transportation and stay of migrants in Boa Vista.
One element that heightened the seriousness of the case was that the man was arrested in a home belonging to a military police officer, prompting the Civil Police to open an investigation to determine whether the officer had any involvement or connections to the scheme.
During the operation, four search warrants were executed in neighborhoods in the western area of Boa Vista, where documents, cell phones, and SIM cards intended for sale to migrants were seized, in addition to vehicles used for transportation logistics, according to the news report.
The "Guayanas Route": Irregular Entry of Cubans into Brazil
Investigations indicate that migrants were recruited in Cuba and entered Brazilian territory through the so-called "Guiana Route," a corridor increasingly used by Cubans due to the difficulties in obtaining visas that allow direct entry into Brazil.
According to delegate Wesley Costa de Oliveira, head of the Delegacia de Repressão aos Crimes Organizados (Draco), the Cubans initially traveled to Georgetown, in Guyana, and then crossed by land into Brazil through Lethem, reaching Boa Vista.
Once in the capital of Roraima, they were provided with accommodation and transport before being sent to other cities in the country, such as Manaus, Curitiba, Brasília, and São Paulo, the Police reported.
Authorities also located a house that operated as an "underground hostel," equipped with about 30 beds, where migrants were housed irregularly while they waited for their transfer.
By court order, it was also determined that up to 400,000 reais in accounts linked to the detainee would be blocked as the investigation process continues.
The Civil Police estimates that at least 200 Cubans have arrived as part of the scheme since November 2025, although they do not rule out that the number could be higher due to the presence of other cells operating with a similar structure.
Scams involving tickets issued with stolen miles
The case involves an international fraud component, as some Cubans were paying in dollars for airline tickets that were issued using stolen miles from victims in other Brazilian states.
When the migrants attempted to board, they were prevented from traveling, becoming trapped and losing the money they had paid.
“We identified that some of those Cubans paid in dollars for tickets issued with stolen miles. When they attempted to board, they were prevented from doing so,” explained delegate Wesley Costa de Oliveira, as cited by g1 Roraima.
Why "Operación Malecón"?
The name of the operation refers to the Havana Malecón, one of the most emblematic sites in Cuba. The Civil Police explained that the designation was chosen because the victims identified so far are mainly Cuban, symbolizing the point of origin for many migrants caught by the network.
Investigations are ongoing to identify other individuals involved and to determine if there are more similar structures operating in northern Brazil.
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