Reply #17: Such an odd direction the pResident's taking [View All]

U.S. tightens inspections of flights to Cuba



WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 — U.S. authorities have stepped up inspections of charter flights to Cuba out of Miami, and plan to do the same at other airports, following a toughening of U.S. policy toward the island, a top official said on Thursday. (snip)

(snip) ''Already, in response to the president's announcement, Customs and Border Protection inspectors have stepped up their efforts by examining nearly all of the charter flights departing from Miami,'' said Richard Newcomb, Treasury's director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC.

The United States has allowed charter flights out of Miami since 1998, mostly for Cuban Americans wanting to visit relatives on the Caribbean island.

Travel to Cuba is illegal for most other Americans, but tens of thousands visit the island every year, many by going through countries like Mexico and Canada. (snip/...)

http://famulus.msnbc.com/FamulusIntl/reuters10-16-150837.asp?reg=AMERICAS