Blackmarket salmon painted and dried in organised crime plants
Chilean newspaper video reveals how fillets said to be cut from mortalities and stolen fish are given a makeover to disguise decomposition
Published
A 17-second video released by regional newspaper El Llanquihue in Chile has raised concerns about the illegal trade of seafood in the country's Los Lagos Region, reports Fish Farming Expert's Chilean sister site, Salmonexpert.cl. The footage shows two people manipulating salmon fillets by applying chemical dyes and using a hairdryer, in an apparent attempt to artificially enhance the product’s appearance.
El Llanquihue reports that the fillets are from mortalities and stolen fish that are processed in clandestine plants located on the route between Puerto Montt and Calbuco.
The “fish makeover” is intended to disguise the decomposition of the meat and facilitate its sale on the black market, despite the health risks it poses to consumers.
Organised crime
Andrés Canelo, the retired prefect of the country’s Investigative Police Force, told El Llanquihue that salmon theft had evolved into an activity controlled by organised crime.
“This phenomenon, which has given rise to the so-called ‘salmon pirates’, is not an isolated incident,” the former detective said.
He told El Llanquihue that these gangs operate under an organised structure, where each member fulfills specific roles. “Each member has a specific function, from prior intelligence gathering and planning the robbery, to logistics, storage, and distribution.”
According to Canelo, the appeal of this crime lies in its high profitability and the difficulty of tracing the product once it leaves formal marketing channels. He highlighted the difference with slamon producing countries such as Norway, which have highly developed traceability systems.
“In Chile, the harm goes beyond the economic; this activity facilitates other illicit activities such as money laundering, tax evasion, and receiving stolen goods,” he stated.
Beginning to decompose
The Ministry of Health warned that selling salmon that died in mortality events constitutes a serious health offence. The authority explained that if fish die from disease or lack of oxygen, they quickly begin to decompose, posing a direct health risk to those who consume them.
In statements to Salmonexpert, Loreto Seguel, executive president of the Salmon Council which represents some of Chile’s biggest producers, condemned these practices.
“What happened is extremely serious and confirms the problems that salmon theft can generate, a crime that affects workers, companies, the supply chain, and confidence in an industry that is strategic for Chile,” said Seguel.
“We will wait to learn about the work done by the police and authorities, and if necessary, we will join the lawsuits against those responsible.”
