How Cuban cigars bankroll North Korean overseas missions



Analysis How Cuban cigars bankroll North Korean overseas missions Slinging stogies has long been a reliable side hustle for DPRK envoys, who regularly abuse their diplomatic privileges Ethan Jewell October 4, 2021 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Pexels \| A box of Cuban cigars On Havana’s northern edge sits the Malecón, an iconic roadway lined with pastel-colored baroque buildings on one side and an aging seawall on the other. Just a short distance away, in historic “Old Havana,” black-market cigar traders disguised as tourists busily push high-end Cubans for a fraction of store price. Among the crowds, one might even spot some unexpected customers: North Korean diplomats. On Havana’s northern edge sits the Malecón, an iconic roadway lined with pastel-colored baroque buildings on one side and an aging seawall on the other. Just a short distance away, in historic “Old Havana,” black-market cigar traders disguised as tourists busily push high-end Cubans for a fraction of store price. Among the crowds, one might even spot some unexpected customers: North Korean diplomats. Become a member for less than $5.75 per week. Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts. Subscribe now All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time. © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by And how should we address you in correspondence? One more step! Please check your inbox, for an email we just sent you, and click on the confirmation message in it to get subscribed to our Daily News Update. Trending

Analysis

How Cuban cigars bankroll North Korean overseas missions

Slinging stogies has long been a reliable side hustle for DPRK envoys, who regularly abuse their diplomatic privileges

Ethan Jewell October 4, 2021

How Cuban cigars bankroll North Korean overseas missions

Pexels | A box of Cuban cigars

On Havana’s northern edge sits the Malecón, an iconic roadway lined with pastel-colored baroque buildings on one side and an aging seawall on the other. Just a short distance away, in historic “Old Havana,” black-market cigar traders disguised as tourists busily push high-end Cubans for a fraction of store price.

Among the crowds, one might even spot some unexpected customers: North Korean diplomats.

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Ethan Jewell

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