Cuba Human Smuggling

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Cuba Human Smuggling

Market Overview

The price to be smuggled into the United States from Cuba has been reported to be between $8,000 to $10,000 per person.¹

Cuba Black Markets

Market Value:
Unknown

Source:

MARKET INFORMATION

Every year since 2000, the United States Coast Guard has intercepted more than 1,400 people attempting to cross the Florida Straits to gain entry into the United States.²

In 2007, the United States Coast Guard interdicted 3,197 Cuban migrants, compared to 2,293 in 2006.³

Around 40 Cuban baseball players have been smuggled out of the country between 2000 and 2007.⁴

New Smuggling Route

According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, nearly 90 percent of all undocumented Cubans who enter the United States now come through Mexico rather then reaching the U.S. by boat.⁵ Migrants pay smugglers up to $10,000 to cross the Yucatan Channel into Mexico and then travel up to the U.S. Border.⁶

Sources:

1. Warren Richey, " As Castro heals, Cuba's people smugglers get back to business," Christian Science Monitor, August 18, 2006, http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0818/p02s01-woam.html (accessed: August 23, 2006).

2. Ibid.

3. Associated Press, "Cuba says 2 migrants drown when smuggling boat capsizes off coast," International Herald Tribune, December 28, 2007.

4. Kevin Baxter, " Ball players from Cuba are now flee agents," Los Angeles Times, July 1, 2007.

5. Will Weissert, AP, " Fleeing Cubans Reach U.S. Through Mexico," Guardian, August 1, 2007, http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6821089,00.html (accessed: August 3, 2007).

6. Ibid.