A boat, four boats and more than $ 9,000, seized in an operation against the illegal transport of fuel on the high seas, in Manabí

MANTA, Manabi

An investigation by the National Police lasted for eighteen months, which ended with what was said to be a criminal organization that would engage in the illegal transportation of fuel on the high seas, according to preliminary information and evidence found by the uniformed officers.

For this, the operation called Impact 863 was carried out, in which there were the Police coordinations of Zone 1 (Esmeraldas, Carchi, Imbabura and Sucumbíos) and Zone 4 (Manabí and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas). Delegates from the State Attorney General’s Office also took part in these actions, and they had the support and logistics of the Ecuadorian Navy coastguards, it was indicated.

The Unit for the Fight Against Organized Crime (ULCO) analyzed the activities that this organization carried out in the ports of Manta and Jaramijó and also in strategic points on the high seas to allegedly provide fuel illegally to other vessels.

To transport the fuel, they used a boat, named José Miguel. And according to reserved versions, it would have been used for the resupply of speedboats that possibly transported drugs, with the modality of dragging until passing to the north of the Galapagos Islands.

Last Thursday, the ship was stopped along with four boats, of which two were not listed on the ship’s departure and did not have the authorization to navigate.

Armada retains 1,194 gallons of artisan gasoline in Manta

At the beginning, there were 17 people apprehended during the operation where an extra 546 gallons of fuel were found in the main vessel.

The prosecutor on duty, Alexandra Bravo, said that of the 17 apprehended, six were released and the rest were opened the respective process. Of the latter, eight of the defendants were given alternative measures to prison and three remained in prison.

In addition to the ship and the four boats, more than 500 gallons of fuel were seized, as well as three satellite phones, ten cell phones and $ 9,390.

Rodny Chávez, chief of the Manabí police sub-zone, confirmed that according to the investigations, this organization supplied fuel to other boats engaged in illegal activities. (I)