Fuel theft, a burden for Mexico

The average amount of fuel stolen from Pemex is 9 million liters per day, which is slightly higher than what is consumed in Mexico City in its 322 gas stations.

According to information published by Pemex's Corporation Department of Planning, Coordination, and Performance , this volume also represents 70% of the fuel sold in the State of Mexico through 913 gas stations.

Last week, President López Obrador revealed that last year, Mexico lost MXN $60,000 million as a result of fuel theft.

“Over 600 tank trucks are stolen every day. A similar quantity is being stolen and it's always increasing. It means 15,000 liters per tank truck, almost MXN $200 million every day,” the President explained.

The volume of fuel illegally subtracted from Pemex , considering 600 with a capacity of storing 15,000 liters each, represents a loss of almost 9 million liters every day.

The President explained that “we're not only talking about fuel theft , of draining pipelines , but of a plan that has links inside the government and that is supported by a fuel distribution system because it's not easy to distribute, sell 600 tank trucks every day.”

Sources told EL UNIVERSAL that fuel distribution networks , which is the one in charge of delivering the stolen fuel to gas stations and clandestine distribution centers could be formed by private carriers, as well as by tank trucks from Pemex .

After requesting anonymity, they explained that from 2016 to August 2018, the reports of stolen Pemex trucks is low, 25 stolen trucks, “because even if they emptied the tank trucks, we're talking about 375,000 liters during that period, only 4.1% of what is stolen annually.”

We have to keep an eye on private distributors because for every Pemex truck that delivers fuel, there are 9 private ones, they explained.

In his final report, Pemex's former director, Carlos Treviño acknowledged the budget issues to guarantee the safety of the facilities. Since 2014, the resources to “guarantee the safety of its facilities and employees” were reduced from MXN $1,664 million to MXN $539 million in 2017, a 67.7% cut.

The budget issue was so serious that the workers trained in physical and document inspection of tank trucks and clandestine fuel connections went from 1,248 in 2015, to 113 in 2017.

Pemex

states that “the issue of the illegal fuel market is a scourge (…) that should be treated as a national security issue .”

AMLO: Pemex workers were directly involved in fuel theft network

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