Search Results for “the chemical drug”

Synthetic Drugs Like the ‘Chemical’ are Diversifying and Expanding in Cuba

The Ministry of the Interior claims that this is due, among other causes, to the “growing flow of travelers” 14ymedio, Havana, September 16, 2025 — During Monday’s broadcast of the program Mesa Redonda, the authorities acknowledged that in Cuba, drug consumption is expanding and diversifying, especially towards synthetic substances, which are “cheaper and less risky … Continue reading “Synthetic Drugs Like the ‘Chemical’ are Diversifying and Expanding in Cuba”

In the Midst of Cuba’s Crusade Against Drugs, the ‘Chemical’ Comes to the Streets of Havana

“They don’t eat breakfast, they don’t eat lunch, they don’t eat anything, they just stuff themselves with that, it doesn’t lead to anything good.” 14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodríguez, Havana, 19 March 2025 — A prisoner to his convulsions, a young man tosses on the ground, amid guttural screams, while he hits himself with fury. He … Continue reading “In the Midst of Cuba’s Crusade Against Drugs, the ‘Chemical’ Comes to the Streets of Havana”

Havana Chronicles: The ‘Chemical’ Adds Collapsed Bodies to the Havana Landscape

In San Lázaro, a young man slumped against a wall barely manages to attract the attention of passersby. 14ymedio, Havana, Yoani Sánchez, September 27, 2026 / In San Lázaro, you have to look both up and down at the same time. Up, to avoid the sight of gutted balconies, exposed beams, and pieces of buildings … Continue reading “Havana Chronicles: The ‘Chemical’ Adds Collapsed Bodies to the Havana Landscape”

Police Detain 13 People for Drug Trafficking in Centro Habana

Authorities seized ‘chemical’ and cocaine, along with cash 14ymedio, Madrid, September 17, 2026 / Agents from the Ministry of the Interior detained 13 people on Tuesday in Centro Habana, allegedly linked to drug trafficking. The operation continued this Wednesday with searches of at least six residences, five of them in the Los Sitios neighborhood, specifically … Continue reading “Police Detain 13 People for Drug Trafficking in Centro Habana”

Shaka, a Chemical Jolt with Massive Doses of Caffeine, Vodka, and Sugar, is Consumed in Cuba

Manufactured in Spain, where its sale is prohibited, this beverage is consumed mainly in Cuba. 14ymedio, Havana/Madrid, September 4, 2026 – On sidewalks or along the curb, among all the accumulating garbage, empty Shaka cans stand out, with their bluish color and the characteristic lion in their logo. It is a scene that any Cuban … Continue reading “Shaka, a Chemical Jolt with Massive Doses of Caffeine, Vodka, and Sugar, is Consumed in Cuba”

The Ravages of the ‘Chemical’ in the Streets of Central Havana

“This place is a hotbed of informal vendors, filth and collapses, the police don’t show their faces, marginality reigns supreme.” 14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodríguez, Havana, May 24, 2026 / They may be minors or simply young women shrunken by a life of malnutrition and other hardships. Sitting on the curb at the corner of Ángeles … Continue reading “The Ravages of the ‘Chemical’ in the Streets of Central Havana”

A Gang Led by a Cuban Is on Trial in Spain for Laundering Drug Money

The prosecutor is requesting prison sentences of more than 200 years and fines totaling more than 47 million euros for the thirty defendants. 14ymedio, Madrid, September 22, 2025 — Around thirty people who were part of a criminal gang led by a Cuban face trial this Thursday in Palma de Mallorca for laundering drug money … Continue reading “A Gang Led by a Cuban Is on Trial in Spain for Laundering Drug Money”

In Holguín, the ‘Chemical’ Takes Over Marijuana Alley

Students from the two neighboring schools “get high in broad daylight” Instead of prioritizing prevention, authorities mount exemplary trials with sentences of up to 20 years in prison. 14ymedio, Miguel García, Holguín, 26 June 2025 — Holguín’s Marijuana Alley earned its name years ago for the ease of finding someone to sell some “marijuana cigarettes.” … Continue reading “In Holguín, the ‘Chemical’ Takes Over Marijuana Alley”

Two Men Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Drugs in Santiago de Cuba

In another exemplary trial, in Las Tunas, a young man was sentenced to one year in prison for possession. 14ymedio, Havana, May 26, 2025 — The immediate result of the current “national exercise” against drugs -the third in six months in the country and the fifth in Havana- is, as in previous ones, the publicity … Continue reading “Two Men Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Drugs in Santiago de Cuba”

A New ‘Chemical’ Has Arrived in Cuba That Is More Lethal and up to 100 Times Stronger

14ymedio, Havana, May 10, 2025 — All residents of Sancti Spíritus know that the dangerous neighborhood of Kilo 12 is the place to buy the “chemical” (químico) in the city. What they did not know, which the police warned about in the official press on Saturday, is that it is also where this drug has … Continue reading “A New ‘Chemical’ Has Arrived in Cuba That Is More Lethal and up to 100 Times Stronger”

‘Químico Sold Here’: The Cry of Lujanó Residents Against Drug Traffickers in Cuba

A sign painted next to a house led the cannabinoid sellers to flee. 14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodríguez, Havana, 31 March 2025 — “Químico for sale here,” the synthetic cannabinoid, commonly called ’the chemical’ that is wreaking havoc in Cuba. The phrase appeared painted in enormous white letters on the asphalt of Pérez Street in Luyanó … Continue reading “‘Químico Sold Here’: The Cry of Lujanó Residents Against Drug Traffickers in Cuba”

Cuban Authorities Promise To Fight Drugs With ‘Blood and Fire’

In 2024, more than 1,000 kilos were seized, mostly cocaine, and more than 1,100 people were sentenced to prison. 14ymedio, Madrid, 21 February 2025 — The authorities’ concern about the increase in the amount of drugs circulating on the Island is as evident as is its desire to spread the message that they are fighting … Continue reading “Cuban Authorities Promise To Fight Drugs With ‘Blood and Fire’”

The ‘Quimiqueros’ Take Over Las Tunas, Another Cuban City Affected by Drug Use

Two people have died and one child began abusing narcotics at age eight, according to health records. 14ymedio, Havana, 6 February 2025 — Las Tunas has become another drug epicenter on the Island, and the increase in recorded cases, which peaked from the second half of 2024, is due to the El químico (the chemical), … Continue reading “The ‘Quimiqueros’ Take Over Las Tunas, Another Cuban City Affected by Drug Use”

Cuban Police Profiles on Social Networks Warn of the Increase in Arrests for Trafficking the ‘Chemical’

14ymedio, Havana, 24 January 2025 — “Tolerance for you? No.” These were the words of Cazador Cazado [Hunter Hunted], a profile related to the Ministry of the Interior, in the site’s report on the arrest of a man who carried “85 cigarettes with a type of químico [chemical].” The arrest, reported last Wednesday, occurred on … Continue reading “Cuban Police Profiles on Social Networks Warn of the Increase in Arrests for Trafficking the ‘Chemical’”

A Man Denouncing the Sale of Drugs in Old Havana Is Fined for “Public Disorder”

“The ‘chemical’ is cheaper than a soft drink,” says Alberto Turis Betancourt, outraged 14ymedio, Havana, 5 September 2024 — Activist Alberto Turis Betancourt Pérez was arrested this Wednesday for taking to the streets to protest against the sale of drugs in his neighborhood, Jesús María, in Old Havana. Carrying two large handwritten signs, the man … Continue reading “A Man Denouncing the Sale of Drugs in Old Havana Is Fined for “Public Disorder””