criminal groups of organized crime who used to steal gasoline and diesel from Petróleos Mexicanos pipelines (Pemex) has migrated its activity to theft of liquefied petroleum gas (LP) and according to the main distribution associations of this fuel in the country, they carry out an average of more than six daily perforations to the country’s main pipeline and then sell a volume that has reached around 60,000 tons per month, which implies an embezzlement of 1,200 million pesos. .
Carlos Serrano Farrera, president of the Mexican Association of LP Gas Distributors and Related Companies (Amexgas) explained at a press conference that after the implementation in 2019 of a federal government program against gasoline theft, significant progress was made in reducing clandestine taps. With this, in the last four years the number of clandestine outlets in total has had a reduction of 4,103 outlets, 27% less than in 2018.
However, these criminal groups migrated to the LP gas pipelines and today there are 2,187 clandestine outlets reported per year, an increase of 1,000% because there were 200 outlets in 2018.
“In 2018 we registered a clandestine tap to the LP gas pipeline every two days, last year the report was almost seven daily clandestine taps to the main gas pipeline. Pemexthe 1,600-kilometer-long LPG pipeline that starts in Cactus, Chiapas, interconnects in Pajaritos, Veracruz, and crosses the entire center of the country to reach Zapopan, Jalisco,” he explained.
However, he assured that 94% of these drillings are concentrated in Puebla, Mexico, Tlaxcala and Veracruz and that in fact 82% of these are concentrated in only 18 municipalities, for which they consider that a focused and effective effort in these municipalities would take immediate action against LP gas theft
Regarding the effects, he explained that last year the pipeline service was suspended at some point during the day for 146 days of the year, 40% of the year, which generates supply problems in these regions and compromises the guarantee of supply for the population.
On the other hand, maintenance costs for Pemex and the risk of accidents to the most vulnerable populations are substantially increased, as we have unfortunately experienced.
In turn, Luis Landeros, president of the Association of LP Gas Distributors (ADG), which brings together the main distributors and importers of the fuel, explained that the theft amounts in volume to some 60,000 tons per month and at a minimum price of 20 pesos per kilogramThey sell p1,200 million pesos per month on clandestine routes, which stop paying VAT and enter Mexican homes without having any type of registration or regulation, because they clone pipes that consumers cannot distinguish.
“We request an effective program to be able to combat the theft of LP gas from pipelines. Pemex and therefore affects our distribution. Inspections must be carried out among the vehicles that distribute the gas, which is the only way to reduce this growing illegality, ”he said.
