US officials disclosed the seizure of 90 fuel shipments at Port Everglades and Houston that they said were bound for sanctioned Cuban wholesaler ENETEC. The cargo was valued above 2.8 million dollars. Authorities described a continuing investigation into suspected sanctions evasion, while saying lawful channels remain available for legitimate humanitarian aid to Cuba.
US federal officials disclosed on October 7 that they had seized 90 fuel shipments intended for Cuba at Port Everglades and Houston . They said the intended buyer was ENETEC, a state-controlled fuel company based in Havana. The announcement brought details of a port operation carried out in September into public view.[1], [2]
Customs officials said intelligence received in early September prompted them to examine export documents and the buyer’s sanctions status. ENETEC had been placed on the US Treasury’s sanctions list in July. Investigators described the cargo as a biodiesel-blended middle distillate and put its combined value above 2.8 million dollars. Authorities reported 71 shipments at Port Everglades and 19 at Houston, with cargo from both ports intended for the same buyer.[1]
Homeland Security Investigations, the US customs agency and the Commerce Department’s export-control bureau took part in the operation. Officials said several companies were involved but did not identify them or disclose whether they knew the buyer was sanctioned. Their allegation concerns suspected evasion of sanctions and export rules; no conviction was announced. Authorities described the investigation as continuing and said legal channels remained available for legitimate humanitarian assistance. They also distinguished these port seizures from a separate Coast Guard interception at sea announced the previous week.[1]
