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A group of seven Cuban citizens was detained on Tuesday on a paradise island in Yucatán after being caught with a shipment of drugs that included marijuana, cocaine, crack, and ecstasy.
The arrest took place on the island of Holbox, in the municipality of Lázaro Cárdenas, state of Quintana Roo, according to the local Mexican press.
The seven arrested individuals have been identified as Yoel, Greter, Daniela, Adriagne, Carlos Miguel, Juan Miguel, and Rafael, all of Cuban nationality.
According to the official report from the Citizen Security Secretariat, the agents detected the group gathered in a green area on Lisa Street in Holbox.
«Upon noticing the police presence, they displayed evasive behavior and attempted to flee, which prompted the agents to carry out an appropriate intervention and inspection», states the report.
After reviewing the suspects and their belongings, the officers confirmed the presence of illegal substances and proceeded to the immediate arrest of the seven individuals.
The operation was carried out by the Grupo Centurión of the Quintana Roo Citizen Security Secretariat, in coordination with the Navy Secretariat, the National Defense Secretariat, and the National Guard, during preventive patrols in the area.
The authorities assured:
-201 ziploc bags of transparent plastic filled with dry, green herb resembling marijuana.
-26 bags containing white powder with characteristics of cocaine.
-11 bags containing solid fragments resembling stone or crack.
-10 bags containing solid purple fragments similar to ecstasy.
The amount of drugs seized reflects a distribution operation of a certain scale for a tourist destination like Holbox.
In addition to the drugs, the containers used for their storage were seized: a black fanny pack with green camouflage, a nylon cloth bag, a case with prints, a gray suitcase, and an eco-friendly bag.
The seven detainees and all material evidence have been placed at the disposal of the Specialized Prosecutor's Office for the Fight Against the Crime of Drug Dealing in Quintana Roo, the body responsible for compiling the investigation file and determining their legal status.
The immigration situation of the seven detained Cubans has not been disclosed.
Holbox, under pressure from drug dealing
The case is not isolated. The island, recognized as one of the main tourist destinations in Quintana Roo for its pristine beaches, is experiencing an increase in operations against drug dealing so far in 2026.
In May, the authorities dismantled a maritime drug trafficking network involving cannabis that operated between the port of Chiquilá and the island, resulting in six arrests and the closure of four businesses.
Reports from residents and business owners indicated that several local establishments were being used as operational points for drug dealing, extortion, and rent collection by a cell linked to the Sinaloa Cartel.
"With these actions, security corporations aim to strengthen the fight against the sale and distribution of drugs in Holbox," stated the portal 24 Horas Qroo.
An increasing pattern of Cubans detained in Mexico
The detention of the seven Cubans in Holbox is part of a pattern documented since 2023: an increasing number of citizens from the island have been arrested in Mexico for drug-related offenses, ranging from street-level dealing to more complex distribution networks.
Only in Quintana Roo, on June 24, four Cubans were linked to a trial in Cancún for distributing marijuana via Facebook, with justified preventive detention.
Previously, on June 1st, four others had been prosecuted for drug dealing in Supermanzana 23 of the same city.
Nationally, in January 2026, Remigio Valdez Lao, alias "El Milo," was arrested in Cancún, identified as the financial brain of a Cuban-American cell linked to the Sinaloa Cartel with operations in Cuba, Mexico, Spain, and South Florida.
In April, Julio Yidier, alias "El Tilín," was captured in Mexico City as the alleged leader of a cell that concealed drugs in modified vehicles.
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