Authorities from the National Office of Environmental Regulation and Safety (ORSA) in Holguín reported that officers from Customs at the «Frank País» International Airport seized a shipment of 121 kilograms of protected marine species this weekend, including hawksbill turtle meat, which a couple attempted to remove clandestinely from the country bound for the United States.

During routine controls, the illegal merchandise was detected, leading to its immediate seizure. The couple involved were fined, detained and placed at the disposal of the National Revolutionary Police (PNR) due to the potential criminal implications of the case.

According to the authorities, the man involved is a «multiple repeat offender» in crimes against nature, hailing from the municipality of Puerto Padre. Several articles of the customs regulations were applied to him, resulting in a fine of 22,000 Cuban pesos. The woman, also from Puerto Padre, was charged with offences carrying a penalty of 10,000 pesos.

The seizure included:

-65 kg of hawksbill turtle meat (Eretmochelys imbricata), a critically endangered species whose international trade is prohibited by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

-42 kg of crab meat.

-4 kg of lobster tail.

The case, beyond the efficiency of the customs operation, raises questions about the effectiveness of administrative sanctions in deterring a high-impact environmental crime.

The imposed fines—32,000 pesos in total—pale in comparison to the market value these species would illegally command abroad, especially the prized and highly protected hawksbill turtle.

This incident is only the tip of the iceberg of a trafficking network causing incalculable damage to Cuban biodiversity. The hawksbill turtle, in particular, is an emblematic species whose capture and commercialisation directly contribute to its disappearance.

Customs authorities indicated that, in addition to the fines, the possibilities afforded by the Penal Code for the significant damage caused are being evaluated, which could lead to more severe criminal charges for those detained.

The true cost—the irreparable and incalculable damage to marine ecosystems and to critically endangered species like the hawksbill turtle—is not reflected in these figures.

The Holguín case underscores the urgent need for the legal response to be proportional not only to the commercial value of the shipment, but to the lost ecological value, combining rigorous application of the Penal Code with a comprehensive strategy that attacks trafficking networks and educates about the real value of national biodiversity, which is the heritage of all Cubans and a global natural treasure.

Facing these challenges, our Ministry and, especially, the ORSA, maintains close collaboration with authorities and institutions across the country, among them Customs.