The theft of 5.75 quintals of onion seeds and another 18 kilograms of cabbage seeds affected five Cuban provinces. Last August, Sancti Spiritus’ Frigorifico 800 warehouse was burglarized. According to the Sancti Spiritus newspaper Escambray, the eight people involved are awaiting trial and could face seven to 15 years in prison if convicted.
The newspaper’s own article states that “they were of bad social behavior, prone to commit criminal acts. Two of them had criminal records for robbery by force. “The other two people were the custodians of the refrigerator.”
Modus Operandi
Those who were arrested and prosecuted explained to the police how they stole the seeds from the place. On August 28, six men entered the entity and cut the fence with a saw.
They then entered the refrigerated chamber number nine and breached the security of the safe which contained onion seeds and other quality vegetables which would be used in the current cold season.
According to the newspaper, “They relied on the expertise of two former employees of the entity, who acted as crime guides.”
The police confirmed that the biggest violation was stealing belongings from the population. Currently, the six thieves remain in temporary jail and the security agents were allowed to be released on bail.
Orestes Ramirez, Director of Semilas Sancti Spiritus Base Business Unit (UEB), addressed the topic.
“We really feel very affected and I’m not just talking about the monetary value, but about the fact that growers were left without seeds and in the end the population pays the consequences.”
“It was not possible to import seeds for onion planting this year, given the constraints we know. The nationally manufactured Carib 71 will be used,” the executive explained.
Regarding seeds reserved for the provinces of Pinar del Río, Mayabeque, Granma, Camagüey and Ciego de Ávila, the police reported that 5.34 quintals of onions and 26 packages of cabbage were found.