MIAMI.- A federal prosecutor ordered the arrest and charged Mirtza Ocaña, the Cuban resident of Tampa accused of smuggling more than 100 thousand dollars in cash from Cuba.
Ocaña arrived at Tampa International Airport on an international flight from the island on February 5, 2024, where he claimed to have no more than $10,000 with him, but $30,000 was discovered hidden in his luggage during an inspection.
The woman later admitted that she flew from Cuba to Tampa two or three times a month to smuggle money in cash to the United States, and an additional $70,000 was found hidden in his clothing, according to authorities.
The 38-year-old Cuban was free on bail with a shackle. Her case put into context the question, whose money was she transporting?
Origin of money
The digital medium Cubanet reported that the woman would work for the former Minister of Economy of Cuba, Alejandro Gil Fernández, dismissed by the Cuban regime under accusations of corruption. Other digital and television platforms echoed that presumption.
According to flight records, Ocaña had flown from Cuba to Tampa 45 times since May 2023.
If found guilty, Ocana could face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
