Seventeen people in Cuba are arrested for the crime of trafficking for recruitment

Havana, Sept 8 (RHC) Cuban authorities reported this Thursday the arrest of 17 individuals during the process of dismantling a human trafficking network that operates to incorporate Cuban citizens into war operations in Ukraine.

Specialists from the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation of the Ministry of the Interior detailed in the newscast that the responsibility of those involved in this criminal network is currently being investigated.

Of them, three belonged to the recruitment scheme within the Caribbean nation, directed from abroad. The remaining 14 people confessed to having joined the operation by individual and voluntary decision, in exchange for residency in Russia and a substantial monetary remuneration.

The organizers promoted the identification of individuals with criminal records, coming from dysfunctional families, to incorporate them into the mercenary system. The main criminal evidence is the confessions made by the detainees and the communications established by the ringleader with the rest of those involved.

The chief prosecutor of the Supervision Department of the Directorate of Criminal Proceedings of the Attorney General's Office of the Republic, José Luis Reyes, explained that during the progress and completion of the investigations, the attributable crime for each case will be determined, in correspondence with the actions and the will of those involved.

He added that according to the Penal Code, those involved can be charged with crimes of human trafficking or smuggling, as well as mercenaryism.  The latter includes penalties of deprivation of liberty from 10 to 30 years, perpetual deprivation of liberty or death.

For her part, the director of International Law of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yelina Silva, ratified Cuba's historic position against mercenaryism, of which the Caribbean nation has been targeted on several occasions. The diplomat stated that her country has signed various international treaties against this scourge and has been the author of initiatives approved by the United Nations on the subject.

A few days ago, the Cuban Foreign Ministry issued a statement denouncing that the country was facing human trafficking operations for the purpose of military recruitment. It ratified that Cuba is not part of the war in Ukraine and that it will punish whoever participates from national territory in any form of human trafficking for recruitment or mercenary purposes. (Source: PL)