Dariel Fernández, tax collector for Miami-Dade County, issued a public warning on Monday aimed at businesses involved in shipping vehicles to Cuba, following reports from residents who lost thousands of dollars by paying for this service and receiving bounced checks.
Bounced checks and thousands of dollars lost
In a message posted on his social media, Fernández was straightforward: "As the Tax Collector for Miami-Dade County, I am deeply concerned about reports of residents who have lost thousands of dollars after paying for the shipment of vehicles to Cuba and receiving bounced checks."
The official announced that their office will review whether those companies have all the necessary local, state, and federal licenses, permits, and authorizations, and warned: "If we find evidence of illegal activities or transactions conducted without the required federal authorizations, we will act immediately, including revoking their business licenses."
In a video published on the same day, Fernández was even more emphatic:
"For years, I have warned our community about the risks of doing business related to the murderous Cuban dictatorship. The Cuban regime has never operated with transparency and honesty. Too many people are losing money while trying to help their relatives in Cuba."
A conflict that has been escalating since 2025
The complaints are not new. Cubans in Miami started reporting delays of several months after payment for shipping cars to Cuba since August 2025, without receiving the vehicle or any refund.
The invoices showed payments made to Lucero Services Corp, a travel agency in Miami owned by Yaumara Morales, who acted as an intermediary with OK's Charter Services Inc., registered in the name of Kenny Chávez.
In April 2026, dozens of Cubans protested at the Port of Miami demanding their vehicles, which had been held because OK Charter owed money to the port, which imposed storage fees of 120 dollars per day.
Kenny Soto estimated the number of affected individuals at 131. Jorge Luciano Ponce Medina had to pay an additional 5,500 dollars to recover his vehicle. Adrián Alpízar summarized the outrage: "It is unacceptable that you pay for a service in this country and eight months later your car is still being held and about to be lost."
A systematic offensive against illegal trade with Cuba
The warning issued on Monday is part of a broader campaign against companies that conduct business with Cuba without federal authorization.
Just one day before, Fernández had revoked the licenses of Cargo Caribe LLC, Harkham Shipping LLC, and MV Tinto Shipping LTD for exporting cement to Cuba without authorization from the Miami River to the port of Mariel.
At the end of May, the county sanctioned Sta Elena Investments LLC, Remas Investments LLC, and Adys Lastres Morera - sister of the head of GAESA - following her arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This crackdown began in October 2025 with letters sent to 75 suspected businesses, and on February 27, 2026, nearly 4,000 businesses were notified for possible commercial links with Cuba without federal permission.
A market of over 427 million dollars
The vehicle export business from the United States to Cuba started in 2022, when Washington issued the first license to export vehicles to Cuban citizens and non-state enterprises.
According to the US-Cuba Economic and Trade Council, the total of these sales exceeds 427 million dollars as of March 2026, including spare parts.
In that month alone, buyers in Cuba received vehicles worth 10.8 million dollars, despite the rising tensions between Washington and Havana.
Fernández was clear about the county's position: "Miami-Dade 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."
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