Cuban customs seize over 12 kg of gold at Havana airport

Cuban customs authorities have intercepted an attempt to smuggle over 12 kilograms of gold, with an estimated international market value exceeding $1.5 million, out of the country via Havana's José Martí International Airport. The precious metal was discovered when two passengers tried to leave Cuba with the contraband.

According to William Pérez González, the first deputy chief of the General Customs of the Republic (AGR), the gold was hidden inside nine artisanal figures that had been painted black. This method was employed in an effort to circumvent customs inspections. Pérez González commended the efficiency of the customs agents and their detection techniques in thwarting this illegal export, noting that the involved individuals have been reported to the police.

This is not an isolated incident for Cuban customs. In March, officials seized 2 kilograms of gold in bar form, concealed in a false bottom of luggage at the same airport. More recently, on Monday, officers discovered more than 10 kilograms of liquid cocaine hidden within shampoo bottles and other hair treatment products.

Customs officials highlighted that such attempts to bypass controls, often using items exempt from tariffs, demonstrate a clear intent to smuggle illicit goods. Cuba maintains a policy of "zero tolerance" towards drugs and asserts it is neither a producer nor a transit country for illegal narcotics. Official reports from 2025 indicated that 507 kilograms of drugs, primarily cocaine, were seized, leading to the arrest of 174 individuals involved in drug trafficking.