Travelers report seizures and long waits at Havana airport
Passengers arriving from Mexico reported retained goods and inspections lasting more than three hours at José Martí airport's Terminal 3.
Travelers arriving from Mexico reported that some of their luggage and products were retained during inspections at José Martí International Airport in Havana. They also described waits longer than three hours. The checks took place in Terminal 3 and affected passengers from Cancún and Mexico City. The complaints came after changes to customs rules took effect.
The customs reform took effect October 12 under Decree-Law 132/2026 and Resolutions 197/2026 and 340/2026, published in Official Gazette No. 83. Its measures include a procedure for goods meeting established requirements. That framework provides context for the reported airport inspections, while the travelers' complaints specifically concern retained products and the length of the checks.
For imports valued at up to $2,000, the cited tariff is 15 percent. The percentage applies to that value bracket and forms part of the current customs provisions. The described procedure is limited to eligible goods, so it is not presented as a blanket rule for all luggage or products carried into Cuba. Complaints about seizures and the tariff are related aspects of the context but describe different facts.
The reports concern passengers entering from Mexico through a specific Havana terminal. Cancún and Mexico City were the cited departure points, while reported waits exceeded three hours. The tariff information adds a specific detail from the new rules: 15 percent for imports worth up to $2,000. The case therefore combines travelers' complaints about their belongings with the implementation of customs regulations.