MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay’s leading fish processor reacts to abusive “media offensive”

Something smells fishy for Uruguay’s Aquatic Resources Office

Uruguay’s leading and largest fish processing company Fripur S.A. claimed in full page ads in Montevideo’s newspapers that it is the victim of a “strong media offensive” that “irresponsibly” questions the way in which it processes products that are sold both in Uruguay and overseas.

“Fripur knows how it works: so do the national authorities in charge of supervising our activity; the different government and private overseas missions that permanently audit our companies and the prestigious international firms that certify our processes”, points out Fripur in the communiqué published Wednesday in the Montevideo press.

Finally Fripur warns that “those who irresponsibly give credit to abuse that affect such high assets and values at stake, will be responsible for their words and attitudes” before the corresponding jurisdictions.

A Uruguayan organized crime special magistrate and a prosecutor are investigating alleged irregularities committed by Fripur in its processing plant, and what role did the National Office of Aquatic Resources, DINARA, responsible for supervising played in the case.

According to recent reports in the Uruguayan press between November 2007 and June 2008, the European Union blocked Uruguayan fish exports following certain irregularities detected in one of Fripur processing plants.

In March 2010 following a long inquiry DINARA fined Fripur the equivalent of 50.000 US dollars when non export losses (to the EU) have been estimated in several tens of million of US dollars.

Fripur which is considered by far the best equipped and most modern fish processing plant in Uruguay, and with its own fishing fleet, belongs to a family group with business interests in other fields and excellent political contacts.