HAVANA.- Since last May 18, different media have manipulated the news about the seizure in Puerto Cristobal, Panama, of 1 517 drug bricks (cocaine) in 46 sports bags inside a container with sacks of charcoal exported from Cuba and with final destination in Turkey.

According to a note issued by the Cuban General Customs, the preliminary results of the investigation carried out in Cuban soil and the appropriate information provided by the Container Control Center and the National Air-Naval Service (SENAN), both from Panama, make possible to determine that the container first arrived at the Panamanian port terminals of Manzanillo and subsequently to the one of Cristobal, with the seal placed in Cuba, place of origin of the cargo, and with all the documentation in order, however, at the time of detecting the fact, it could be seen that the seal had been changed after the drug was introduced.

We are in the presence of a way of operating used internationally by drug trafficking networks and we have already dealt with similar cases, because it is not the first time that they have unsuccessfully tried to link Cuba with this type of event.

We reaffirm that Cuba applies a Zero Tolerance policy to drugs, repudiates and strictly confronts any manifestation linked to the trafficking or consumption of these substances, as well as strengthens international cooperation with organizations, countries, agencies and services that combat this scourge, the note says.

The Cuban General Customs adds that investigations continue under supervision of an team of experts.