Losses of more than $150,000 report shrimp farms that have been the target of crime in the Taura sector

Insecurity, mainly in the Taura sector, a parish in the Naranjal canton, has the shrimp sector worried. José Antonio Camposano, president of the National Aquaculture Chamber (CNA), pointed out that in 40 days the union has documented ten criminal acts that have generated losses of more than $150,000.

In addition to the losses, he explained, the situation implies an extra expense for companies in the sector that must reinforce their armed custody, which in turn means an increase in the cost of the value chain of a product that is exported as is the shrimp.

The shrimp sector calculates the impact of the elimination of the subsidy at $0.16 per pound of shrimp

The leader mentioned that there is no inaction on the part of the National Police, however, he maintained that the uniformed officers do not have the necessary tools to carry out their work properly.

“The last thing we have discussed with them is that the heavy weapons used by these criminal gangs against the vehicles (patrol cars) that do not have the necessary protections, armor, really puts the lives of those who must provide us with security at risk. . So, we have to provide them with the corresponding tools, strengthen those operations so that we reduce the rates of violence that are taking place in that area (Taura),” Camposano said.

He argued that the same measure should be applied in the areas of the Gulf of Guayaquil, the Jambelí archipelago and others where crime is affecting the shrimp and productive sector in general.

The president of the National Chamber of Aquaculture said that although the target of the theft was shrimp, currently the antisocials also take the balanced food that is later sold on the black market.

“They are even stealing the highest quality products, that is, those with the highest protein content, so we are already beginning to suspect that there is a whole commercialization here, there is logistics, there is financing, there is planning and there is an armed group. When you have all these elements, these are characteristics of a well-organized crime”, explained José Antonio Camposano.

Colonel Gustavo Pérez, from the General Directorate of Citizen Security and Public Order, said that the Police is articulating the work with the productive sectors of the country, in this case, with the National Chamber of Aquaculture, to design operational strategies that allow mitigating the criminal incidence.

Shrimp farms of more than 30 hectares are left without a diesel subsidy

This implies, he said, inspections in the territory to learn about the critical nodes of the sector and execute the necessary actions.

“The moment we are ready with these strategies, we will present other types of results to the public, so that the police presence is visualized and this productive activity (of the shrimp farms) can be carried out for the benefit of the country,” said the uniformed officer. (YO)