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Complaint Filed Against Seven Fishing Companies for Operating with British Licenses in the Falklands
The case was assigned to Criminal Economic Court No. 7 and was brought by lawyers from Reset Republicano. They accuse companies of Spanish origin and their affiliated entities of extracting resources from the South Atlantic without Argentine authorization.
A criminal complaint was filed before the Criminal Economic Court against directors, administrators and legal representatives of seven fishing companies of Spanish origin and their affiliated entities for operating in the South Atlantic with licenses granted by the British authorities of the Falkland Islands.
According to Todo Noticias and BAE Negocios, the filing was made by lawyers José Lucas Magioncalda and Juan Martín Fazio, on behalf of Reset Republicano, and was assigned to Criminal Economic Court No. 7, presided over by Judge Juan Pedro Galván Greenway.
The complaint argues that the firms would have extracted fishing resources from the Continental Shelf and the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone without national authorization and outside customs control. The complainants argued that those operations could amount to smuggling and cited provisions of the Customs Code related to evasion of control, clandestine export and aggravating factors.
The companies named in the complaint are Lanzal, Grupo Pereira, Pescapuerta, Copemar, Ferralmes, Hermanos Touza and Moradiña. Todo Noticias detailed their associated companies in the Falklands: Petrel Fishing Company Ltd., Argos Group Ltd., South Atlantic Squid, Castelo Fishing Co., Beaufort Fishing Ltd. and Polar Ltd. BAE Negocios added that the filing also identifies vessels allegedly involved in those operations.
According to BAE Negocios, the complainants requested evidence measures from the Argentine Naval Prefecture, the National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development, the General Customs Directorate and the General Inspection of Justice to review sighting records, exports, tariffs and corporate ties. They also asked that it be determined whether Argentine officials may have had responsibilities for failing to monitor or for not taking action against these activities.
Todo Noticias reported that the complaint comes as the Government is considering strengthening sanctions on activities linked to the Falklands. According to that outlet, the Executive Branch is studying including fishing in a bill it will send to Congress, which also contemplates measures regarding oil companies.
Sources
About this note. Written by El Notero with assistance from artificial intelligence, based on what was published by the cited outlet. El Notero did not do its own reporting on this event.
