Cuba's General Customs Service (AGR) has so far this year seized nearly 40 kg of drugs at ports of entry and via post, state-run news website Cuba Si reported Friday.

Between January and November, the agency seized 38.8 kg of drugs, including 36.6 kg of cocaine and 2.2 kg of marijuana, the report said.

The report highlighted a recent drug mule case in which a passenger, who arrived at Havana's Jose Marti International Airport at the end of October, was discovered to have swallowed 35 plastic bags filled with liquid cocaine.

"According to the passenger, a friend offered him 3,000 U.S. dollars, in addition to lodging and travel expenses, to bring to Cuba a given quantity of drugs," the report said.

"The scheme was detected thanks to the work of customs forces, who always maintain close cooperation and coordination with Interior Ministry agencies in charge of the matter," the report quoted Moraima Rodriguez, head of the Customs Services' Analysis Department, as saying.

Rodriguez said the customs have recently acquired high-tech equipment to help thwart drug smuggling, including an x-ray scanner that can detect swallowed drugs, and a body scanner to detect drugs embedded in clothing. Endi

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