Cuban Customs: Don’t carry parcels for others
The Cuban General Customs Agency issued the following announcement in Spanish on Thursday (May 28). Because it affects many Cuban-Americans traveling to their homeland, Progreso Semanal has translated it and reproduces it below. Translator’s clarifications are [in brackets].
Know What an Encomienda [Entrusted Parcel] Is and What Your Risk Could Be
Passengers are not authorized to carry with them any encomiendas [entrusted parcels] for other persons, natural or legal, and, on occasion, when not complying with that regulation, they incur in violations that can bring responsibilities not only of an administrative nature but also of a criminal nature.
For the purpose of informing everyone about the established regulations and thus preventing hassles and setbacks as you go through our borders, the General Customs Agency of the Republic of Cuba has prepared the following Informative Note that will soon be distributed in a folded-leaflet format to all passengers.
DEAR PASSENGER
Welcome to our country; we wish you a pleasant stay.
WHAT IS AN ENCOMIENDA?
– Merchandise, parcels or packages sent from abroad to third persons, utilizing the passenger as the transporter.
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT:
– Natural persons, in their status as passengers, are not authorized to carry with them encomiendas for other persons, natural or legal.
WHAT RISKS COULD YOU TAKE?
– [The parcels] could be utilized for the transportation and concealment of substances and articles used in terrorism, drug-trafficking operations and contraband of merchandise that could endanger security, human health, and the environment.
– The passenger who is the bearer of an encomienda assumes the administrative or criminal responsibility derived from the noncompliance with this regulation.
We are grateful for your kind attention, so as to avoid any inconvenience we might cause you in the performance of our duties.
For more information, visit our website (http://www.aduana.co.cu) or phone 883-8282 and 881-9732 (both in Havana) 287827 (in the city of Matanzas) 513965 Ext. 119 (in the city of Cienfuegos) 225041 (in the city of Villa Clara) 223613 Ext. 120 (in the city of Ciego de Ávila) 211809; 211303; 211504 Ext. 113, or 211449 (in the city of Camagüey) 481801; 468594 Ext. 110 (in the city of Holguín) 652892; 628991 Ext. 124 (in the city of Santiago de Cuba).
Watch video (in Spanish) made by Cuban Customs:
