The General Customs of the Republic of Cuba seems to have received the order to tighten the criteria with which it catalogs food, hygiene products and medicines that are imported under the free tariff policy to the Island, since it is increasing seizures of those that considered as “commercial in nature”.
According to publications shared on social networks, several Cubans residing abroad have reported that, at least at the ‘José Martí’ International Airport, in Havana, more and more luggage is being marked when passing through checkpoints. .
These people claim that when a suitcase is considered “suspicious,” it is manually checked by Customs agents.
Likewise, they warn that many of this luggage is being confiscated when the weight of a product exceeds five kilos, this despite the fact that the law of free tariffs for food, hygiene products and medicines does not establish a weight limit for them.
“People who are traveling to Cuba, be careful how you pack your luggage, because today almost the entire flight that arrived in Havana from Cancun was sent for inspection. At Customs they considered that more than 5 kg of the same item, even if it was food, medicine and hygiene, was commercial in nature and was confiscated,” indicated one of these people online.
Several of the users pointed out that the authorities were tightening their criteria due to the statements given by the head of the Cuban Customs, Nelson Cordovés Reyes, weeks ago, which warned of alleged abuses of the free import measure.
“Many people bring large volumes of these merchandise in order to market. “It is a call to people to comply with the regulations, to not commit violations, since this is a measure that was approved in complex situations in the country, so that people could have access to medicines, food, hygiene,” said the official in the program of Round table.
Among the examples given by the official was that of a citizen who arrived on the Island from abroad. with almost 60,000 enalapril pills in his luggagesomething that was seen by the authorities as a commercial import.
Despite complaints from citizens who arrive on the island from abroad with products to alleviate the misery in which their relatives live, the resolutions that legislate the issue of importation do not officially establish limit quantities, and Customs has not issued any statement in this regard, so thousands of Cubans returning home could end up affected by the seizures.
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