BOA VISTA, BRAZIL - At least 200 Cuban migrants have been victims since November 2025 of a human trafficking scheme that used the Amazon state of Roraima, on Brazil’s border with Guyana, as an entry route into the country, Brazil’s Civil Police said. A 32-year-old Venezuelan man was arrested on suspicion of involvement in the crime.

The figure refers to only one cell of the criminal organization investigated during an operation launched on Thursday (5) in the city of Boa Vista. The total covers a three-month period in which the group operated a “clandestine hostel” with more than 30 beds to house trafficked Cubans. Police believe the actual number of victims may be higher.

Investigators say the group had been operating for about a year, using private homes belonging to those involved to shelter migrants. As the flow increased, a larger structure was set up and began operating as an illegal lodging facility in Boa Vista. U.S. dollars and Brazilian real banknotes were seized during the operation.

So far, investigations indicate that the migrants were recruited in Cuba and entered Brazil through Roraima via the so-called “Guianas Route,” passing through Lethem, in Guyana, before heading to Boa Vista.

Amazon Agency