Chile’s government is considering specific laws to combat the robbery of particular goods, including farmed salmon, cattle, and copper cables.

The proposal – introduced by Chile Minister of the Interior and Public Safety Carolina Tohá – aims to fill a regulatory void. It follows the passage of a similar law enacted in 2022 that was successful in reducing lumber theft.

Thefts of truckloads of farmed salmon being transported from farming centers to Chile’s markets or airports have grown more common, and are linked to organized crime, Diario Concepción reported.

In October 2022, detectives from the Puerto Montt Criminal Investigation Brigade of the national investigative police, PDI, arrested 30 individuals allegedly affiliated with a criminal organization dedicated to stealing salmonid products unfit for human consumption destined for processing into fishmeal and fish oil. PDI said it said was one of the largest busts in Los Lagos in recent history.