Under Secretary Asa Hutchinson Touts Cuban Enforcement Success

Release Date: 12/10/03 00:00:00

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 10, 2003

Miami, FL - Today the Department of Homeland Security released the results of the first 60 days of heightened enforcement of the U.S embargo against Cuba.  Speaking at the 27th annual Caribbean Latin American Action Conference, Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security, Asa Hutchinson, announced that inspectors had conducted more than 45,000 baggage examinations on the nearly 54,000 passengers who traveled between the United States and Cuba over the past two months.  On October 10, 2003, President Bush ordered the increased scrutiny to ensure that the people and businesses dealing with Cuba do so in full compliance with the embargo.

The Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have stepped up inspection efforts of current Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) travel regulations.  Passengers now traveling to and from Cuba (directly or indirectly) are subject to intensified inspections. In addition, Homeland Security / U.S. Coast Guard stops and boards all U.S. registered private vessels that are suspected of heading to or from Cuban territorial seas.

Under Secretary Hutchinson announced that CBP officers had discovered almost 600 violations of the embargo, nearly half of which were for illegally transporting tobacco or alcohol products.  In addition, 171 people were denied permission to travel to Cuba, when inspectors discovered that they did not have the proper OFAC licenses.  Another 44 people arriving in the United States were discovered to have traveled to Cuba without the proper licenses.  Those found in violation of the travel embargo are routinely subject to civil penalties.

"In the 60 days since the increased enforcement began, we've taken a number of enforcement actions, but we’re also now seeing a high level of compliance with the law," Under Secretary Hutchinson said. "More than 99% of the people we searched were in compliance with the restrictions of the embargo. I attribute this to the fact that this crackdown has been well-publicized. People know we are enforcing."

Since the enhanced enforcement efforts began, one person was caught illegally sending U.S, currency to Cuba.  That currency was seized.  Another four people completed currency reports to fully comply with the law.  Inspectors also found 42 narcotics violations and 32 immigration violations.

Under Secretary Hutchinson is also the scheduled keynote speaker at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami on December 10, at 7 PM.  The discussion will focus on the Cuban embargo.

This page was last modified on 12/10/03 00:00:00