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Image: Pescados Carlos / FIS
Cepesca Calls for Firmness from Court Judging Illegal Bluefin Tuna Scheme and Alleged Money Laundering of Profits
SPAIN
Tuesday, July 16, 2024, 07:00 (GMT + 9)
After the announcement of the Central Court of Instruction number 3 of the National Court
.png) • Cepesca values the statements of Minister Luis Planas: “this is not the reality of our fishing sector as a whole, which on the contrary respects the law”
The Spanish Fishing Confederation (Cepesca) requests firmness from the court to judge the plot of laundering of illegal catches and fraudulent trade in bluefin tuna after the Order of the Central Court of Instruction number 3 of Madrid, within the framework of the Preliminary Proceedings – Abbreviated Procedure 0000091/2018–, which establishes that the facts reported therein by the eight people and twelve companies investigated1 may allegedly constitute up to seven crimes.
Cepesca believes that this type of behavior is inadmissible, not only in the fishing sector, characterized by a continuous effort to implement the best practices in its activity, but also in all other related ones, such as Spanish marketing and catering, whose prestige and international reputation can be harmed by this type of events, even more so, when it comes to a high-end product, such as bluefin tuna.
 The sector also values the statements of Minister Luis Planas on this matter, who in addition to demanding “respect” and “forcefulness” to the investigation, has stated, referring to this type of behavior, that “it is not the reality of our sector as a whole.” fishing, which on the contrary respects the law.”
The magistrate-judge of the Central Court of Instruction number 3 of Madrid, María Tardón Olmos, has proposed to “continue the present preliminary proceedings through the procedures of the Abbreviated Procedure” against the natural and legal persons mentioned above considering that the facts reported in the Order They can be allegedly constitutive of up to seven crimes.
Cepesca recalls that the improvements in the management and control measures adopted within ICCAT in the last 12 years allowed the Spanish authorities to detect and unmask in 2018 this important alleged plot of laundering of illegal catches and fraudulent trade in bluefin tuna.
The investigation by the Civil Guard, called Tarantelo, uncovered a network that annually introduced into our country, according to the Benemérita, more than 3,500,000 kilos of illegal bluefin tuna, coming mainly from Malta and Italy, and generating an illicit profit of about 25 million euros a year.
Source:: CEPESCA
It should be remembered that Cepesca decided to appear as a popular accusation in the case opened after this investigation by the Civil Guard, as its Board of Directors considered that the seriousness of these events and behaviors directly affect the fishing sector and, consequently, the founding objectives of the employer's association. , among which are promoting the development of sustainable and responsible fishing, as well as the fight against illegal fishing.
Source: BDI
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