Havana court sentences man to 15 years for cocaine and cannabinoid trafficking
José Alberto Ducá Valón was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for transporting drugs from Santiago de Cuba to Havana. The ruling includes a prohibition on leaving the country and confiscation of assets.
Sentenced to 15 years for transporting cocaine and synthetic cannabinoid between Santiago and Havana
The Provincial People's Court of Havana issued a sentence on Monday last of 15 years imprisonment against José Alberto Ducá Valón, found guilty of the offence of drug trafficking. According to information from tribuna.cu, the ruling was made public by Cuba's Ministry of Justice (Minjus) through its Facebook page.
The sentence was issued by the Chamber for Offences against State Security of the Provincial Court, in criminal proceedings. In addition to imprisonment, the court imposed ancillary sanctions: prohibition from leaving national territory and confiscation of assets linked to the offence.
Drugs transported from Santiago de Cuba to the capital
According to the evidence presented during the oral trial, Ducá Valón transported cocaine and synthetic cannabinoid from August 2024 from Santiago de Cuba to Havana, in the form of packages intended for sale. The prices charged were 14,000 pesos per gramme of cocaine and 4,000 pesos per gramme of synthetic cannabinoid.
The defendant was detained on 12 September 2024 when he was preparing to travel again to Santiago territory. At the moment of arrest, authorities seized five packages containing a net weight of 3.38 grammes of synthetic cannabinoid and a digital scale.
Procedural guarantees and right of cassation
During the investigation and oral trial, Ducá Valón had the guarantees established in Cuban criminal procedural legislation. He exercised his right to a defence and was represented by a state-appointed lawyer, having not designated one of his choice.
The Provincial People's Court of Havana clarified in its statement that both the defendant and the public prosecutor have the right to file a cassation appeal, which shall be decided by the corresponding Chamber of the Supreme People's Court.
Zero-tolerance policy against drug trafficking
The sentence is part of the Cuban state's zero-tolerance policy against illicit drug trafficking, in keeping with the international commitments assumed by the country on the matter and with the national campaign "Against drugs, we win".
Source: Google News CU — La Habana