US agencies seized 90 shipments of biodiesel worth nearly $3 million that were bound for ENETEC S.A., Cuba’s state-owned fuel company, before they could leave the United States. Authorities stopped 71 oil storage tanks carrying about 500,000 gallons at Port Everglades, Florida, and 19 shipments carrying around 120,000 gallons at the Port of Houston, Texas. The fuel was suspected of being exported to ENETEC in violation of US export restrictions; the Treasury sanctioned the company in July.
Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection and the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security took part in the operation. HSI’s Miami office said the shipments were suspected of benefiting the Cuban government through the state-owned company, and cited violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and Export Administration Regulations. Last week the Coast Guard also intercepted the cargo ship Grace between Cuba and Mexico with fuel aboard.
Cuba has faced fuel shortages and frequent power cuts for years, affecting water supplies, hospitals, transport and food storage. The administration has allowed some smaller fuel shipments to reach Cuba’s private sector as part of a program aimed at weakening the government.