A man identified as Yorquis Cabrera Santana was arrested in Matanzas following an operation at his home, where authorities found 30 pieces of paper soaked in synthetic cannabinoid —commonly known as "the chemical"— and a large sum of cash.
According to information released this Sunday by the Facebook profile "Con Todos La Victoria", linked to the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) in that province, the detainee remains in custody while investigations and forensic analyses are completed, after which he will be brought before the courts.
The publication, written in the characteristic triumphant language of these propaganda profiles of the regime, indicates that Cabrera Santana has a criminal record for sexual assault, which would worsen his legal situation.
"With Everyone, Victory" is one of the pages affiliated with MININT that tout police operations on social media with political slogans and without providing independent evidence or verifiable procedural information.
So far, this alleged crime has not been able to be verified through any other means.
The case is part of an escalating repression by the regime against the trafficking of synthetic cannabinoids, which has led to sentences ranging from four to 15 years in prison across the island.
The medical emergencies due to "chemical" consumption doubled between 2024 and 2025, increasing from 467 to 886 cases, according to official data.
In Cuba, at least 40 variants of these substances are circulating, some adulterated with fentanyl, formaldehyde, anesthetics for animals, and phenobarbital.
These substances, low in cost and high in profitability, have become some of the most sought after and consumed by young people.
Last year, prosecutor Fernando Sera Plana warned about the changes in the methods of introduction and distribution of synthetic cannabinoids, which can enter the country in unconventional forms, even infused in paper.
He specified that a dose of just 0.01 grams can be sold for up to 300 pesos and that, unlike in previous stages, trafficking is currently moving from Havana to Holguín.
The judicial crackdown on the trafficking of this drug has led to harsher sentences in the past year. The Holguín Court sentenced a man to eight years in prison for trafficking just 11 paper slips of "chemical," while the Granma Court imposed seven years on a young man for possessing two paper slips along with cash.
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