In rare heist, 30 thieves stole 133 tonnes of chicken in Cuba to buy laptops and TVs

If convicted, the suspect could face up to 20 years in prison

30 people have been charged after stealing 133 tons of chicken and then selling it to Cuba amid economic turmoil and food shortages. Thieves stole the meat in 1,660 white boxes from a state-owned facility in the capital, Havana, and used the proceeds to buy refrigerators, laptops, televisions and air conditioners, Cuban state television reported late Friday. Reuters the report said.

The chicken is intended to be distributed to citizens through the island’s communist-run ration book system, which was established more than 60 years ago after Fidel Castro’s revolution. The system provides food subsidies and remains an important part of daily life in Cuba.

Rigoberto Mustelier, director of government food distributor COPMAR, said that at current distribution rates, the amount stolen would be equivalent to a month’s chicken ration for a medium-sized province.

The amount of chicken available through ration books has dropped significantly in recent years due to the economic crisis, which has led to shortages of food, fuel and medicine.

Subsidized products often arrive days, weeks or even months behind schedule, forcing individuals with an average monthly salary of 4,209 pesos ($14 at the informal exchange rate) to find other ways to cover their expenses.

Authorities did not specify when the chickens were stolen, but said it likely happened between midnight and 2 a.m. They observed temperature fluctuations within the refrigerated facility during this time, and video surveillance footage showed trucks transporting the chickens away from the site.

The TV station reported that the 30 people charged included shift bosses and IT workers at the factory, as well as security guards and outsiders with no direct ties to the company.

According to Reuters, if convicted, the suspect could face up to 20 years in prison.

Crime rates have increased amid economic hardship since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, although reports of large-scale thefts like this remain rare on the Caribbean island.