Over 3800 rolls of toilet paper, 440 litres of powdered milk and 1560 litres of long-life liquid milk were taken by order of the Public Prosecutor for being allegedly hidden in a warehouse of the Don Biagio Mini Market and Super Express, located in Maracaibo, Zulia state.

It was determined that the products were absent from the shelves in spite of being stored in the warehouse, restricting consumer access to these goods.

The establishment where the goods were found was not identified by name or RIF (commercial registration), however, the property serves as a warehouse of goods and food from the aforementioned store.

The legal representative of the business was put under preventative arrest under conditions of the public prosecutor.

In addition, the goods seized shall be put up for sale at fair prices in the markets Fundación Mercados de Zulia (Fundamercado), the organization in Zula that facilitates the selling of products directly to the people.

These actions were carried out by the audit staff of the National Costs and Prices Superintendency (Sundecop) and the Institute for the Defense of People's Access to Goods and Services (Indepabis) as part of the actions undertaken by the national government for the fight against shortages and hoarding.

During the last few weeks, the Superior Organ for the Popular Defense of the Economy has referred more than 25 people to the Attorney General's office for engaging in wrongful acts that infringe on the sovereignty and food security of Venezuela.

The prosecutor for Indepabis stated, "We will provide continuity to due process, and representation guarantees the right of defense to the representatives of the establishment."

This inspection was attended by the National Guard and prosecutors of the Seniat (customs and tax service), in addition to the participation of Decandido, the Bolivarian Trade Union of Supermarket Workers, who acted as worker prosecutors.

"We are involved with the supervisory bodies, we support their actions, we carried out training and intelligence work to detect establishments such as these, where goods are hoarded," said Gustavo Cadenas, a representative of the union.

The complaints by customers is the most important information that agencies such as Sundecop, Seniat and Indepabis have, said Cadenas.

It’s thanks to such complaints and the information provided by the people through denouncement lines 0800-Sabotaje, 0800 –Sundeco and Twitter account @Sundecop that the Superior Organ for the Economy is able to conduct the inspections and to act.

Translation by Axis of Logic and Venezuelanalysis.com