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The Miami-Dade County Tax Collector, Dariel Fernández, announced the revocation of the Local Business Tax Receipts for three companies identified by a federal agency for exporting cement to Cuba without authorization and in violation of federal laws.
According to the official statement from the tax collector's office, the companies affected are Cargo Caribe LLC, Harkham Shipping LLC, and MV Tinto Shipping LTD.
How the scheme operated
According to the information received from the collector's office, Cargo Caribe LLC used a maritime terminal operated by Harkham Shipping LLC and MV Tinto Shipping LTD to carry out the illegal shipment.
The vessel departed from the Miami River heading to the port of Mariel in Cuba, where the cement cargo was unloaded without the necessary federal authorization.
This is the first action of Fernández's compliance campaign in which a federal agency directly identifies a vessel in transit with a specific cargo destined for Cuba.
Fernández's statements
The collector was clear in explaining the reasons for the measure and its implications for the business environment of the county.
“Miami-Dade County will not be used as a base of operations for companies that violate the law, evade federal requirements, or engage in unauthorized trade linked to the Cuban communist dictatorship,” Fernández stated.
"When credible information is presented to our office, we will act. We will comply with the law. And we will use all available legal tools to protect the integrity of our local business system," he added.
The official also conveyed a clear message to the companies operating within the legal framework:
"Businesses that operate legally have nothing to fear. However, companies that lie, evade the law, ignore compliance requirements, or engage in unauthorized trade linked to the Cuban communist dictatorship must understand that there will be consequences."
"This is about the rule of law, accountability, and the protection of honest businesses that adhere to the standards," Fernández summarized.
"Miami-Dade County champions freedom, transparency, and the rule of law," he concluded
What does it mean to lose this license?
The Local Business Tax Receipt is the basic license required to operate any business within Miami-Dade.
Without that permit, a company cannot legally open, issue invoices, serve clients, or provide services in the county, which effectively amounts to an immediate operational shutdown.
The legal basis for the revocations is Florida state statute 205.0532, which empowers the tax collector to revoke or deny the renewal of this license when a business engages in trade with Cuba in violation of federal law.
The Office of the Collector notified the City of Miami about the action and announced that it will continue to coordinate with federal, state, and local partners.
A campaign that intensifies from 2025
This revocation is part of a compliance campaign that Fernández initiated in the second half of 2025, which has continued to escalate.
In December 2025, Miami-Dade canceled the licenses of 20 businesses that did not demonstrate federal authorization to operate with Cuba.
In January 2026, the office sent 50 new compliance notices to a second batch of companies under investigation.
On February 27, Miami-Dade notified nearly 4,000 businesses in the county for possible commercial ties with Cuba.
In April, the licenses of Managua Travel Agency Inc. -which operates as Cuba Travel & Services with locations in Hialeah, Homestead, and Miami- and R&R Logistics Customer Freight Solutions LLC, based in Doral, were revoked.
The campaign was partly driven by the executive order signed by President Trump on January 29, 2026, concerning threats from the Cuban government, which reinforced the federal framework for county actions. The process has not been without controversies: at least one company, Xael Charters Inc., filed a lawsuit against the county in December 2025 after the revocation of its license.
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