Havana dairy plant sabotage leads to prison sentences for four men

Four men have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 15 to 20 years for sabotaging the Havana Dairy Complex. The group stole 140 liters of dielectric oil from a substation transformer with the intent to sell it, an act that paralyzed production and caused economic damages exceeding 10.2 million pesos. The theft disrupted the supply of essential products, including items for the state-regulated food basket and school meals.

In response to a nationwide increase in dielectric oil theft, which officials describe as an “epidemic,” the Havana Electric Company has begun implementing “chemical traps” in substations. These measures aim to identify perpetrators of oil theft, a crime that causes transformer overheating and irreversible equipment damage. The Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy, previously noted that the volume of oil stolen is nearly equal to the country's total production.