HAVANA, Cuba, Jun 28 (ACN) The Cuban Ministry of the Interior (MININT) reported that during the current year there has been an increase in the number of operations of speedboats from the United States, with the aim of carrying out human trafficking activities from Cuba to that country.
In a statement, it detailed that, as a result of the actions of the MININT’s combat bodies, 13 speedboats with 23 crew members, coming from US territory, have been intercepted in these illicit acts.
In addition to the inherent danger of these acts, which imply risks and loss of human lives, recently there have been situations of greater violence and aggressiveness with the use of firearms against the crews of surface units of the Border Guard Troops.
In the afternoon hours of June 18, 2022, a speedboat coming from the aforementioned country was detected while sailing west of Fragoso Key, Villa Clara(central region). The vessel crossed inland waters towards the coast of Nazabal, municipality of Encrucijada. It was located at 3:28 p.m. by an interceptor boat of the Cuban border troops.
During the pursuit, one of the crew members of the intruder boat opened fire on the Interior Ministry combatants with a 5.56 millimeter automatic rifle at close range. One of the officers was wounded and the surface unit of Border Guard Troops was damaged with multiple impacts.
The aggressor vessel withdrew northbound at high speed, while the Cuban vessel ceased the pursuit and immediately proceeded to evacuate the wounded crewman, who received medical assistance and underwent surgery. He is now out of danger.
The U.S. Coast Guard was informed in real time of the incident and was requested to take action to detain the attacking speedboat and its crew. At the same time, MININT forces in Villa Clara managed to arrest a group of 30 people who were to be trafficked to the United States, who are under investigation.
During the return of illegal Cuban emigrants by sea, carried out by the U.S. Coast Guard on the morning of June 27, one of the citizens involved in the aggression was returned.
In a similar event, which occurred at 2:55 a.m. that same day, a surface unit of the Coast Guard intercepted a speedboat, model Dakota, registration FL2670JG, three nautical miles north of Bahia Honda, Artemisa(western region), which also came from the United States.
Just as they were about to be identified, the offenders fired shots at our naval facility. The crew responded to the attack. One of the assailants was seriously wounded and subsequently died.
During the inspection of the detained boat, evidence was found of the use of firearms by its crew and the presence of drugs. As a result of the shots fired, the Border Guard Troops unit was hit by several projectiles.
Within the framework of the operational cooperation between the Cuban Border Guard Troops and the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Coast Guard was informed of the identification data of the arrested and the deceased, as well as the characteristics and U.S. registration number of the vessel.
In both cases, rigorous investigations are being carried out by the competent authorities to fully clarify the facts.
Once again, regrettable events occur as a consequence of the hostile and irresponsible policy of the government of the United States against Cuba in migratory matters, which stimulates the realization of human trafficking operations, organized by unscrupulous elements residing in that country, at the same time that it hinders safe, orderly and regular emigration.
