– This is very serious, says the prominent professor. He works at the University of Oslo. Previously, he also held top jobs in the Ministry of Finance. He is referring to the smuggling of Norwegian salmon to China via Vietnam. This happened while Norwegian salmon producers were in reality banned from China after the peace prize award in 2010. Negligent complicity But in order for the salmon to leave Norway at all, it had to have health certificates from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. This is where Andenæs believes the Norwegian authorities may have contributed to crime. – It may involve negligent complicity. By printing these health certificates, the State has thus contributed to the illegal export to China. It is serious for the Norwegian authorities, and it is serious for the trust in these health certificates. Sank like a stone The Peace Prize in 2010 went to the Chinese regime critic Liu Xiaobo. The authorities in the country believed that Norway had given the award to a criminal. The result was that it became very difficult for Norwegian salmon exporters to get fish into the country. Exports to China dropped like a stone. At the same time, salmon exports to neighboring Vietnam increased sharply. SalMar was the absolute largest exporter to Vietnam during this period. From 2010 to 2017, the farming company exported 54,000 tonnes to Vietnam. SalMar accounted for a third of all Norwegian salmon that went to China’s neighboring country during this period. SalMar itself says that they have not done anything illegal. The company writes to news that it was not involved in the resale and handling of the salmon after delivery to Vietnam. Serious knowledge Mads Andenæs is a specialist in international law and professor at the University of Oslo. Photo: Bjørn Olav Nordahl / news Andenæs has previously believed that Økokrim should investigate SalMar and other salmon exporters. Now he also points to the Norwegian authorities. – So, salmon exports are increasing dramatically to Vietnam. Without there being any other justification than that it needs to continue. Then there is very serious knowledge on the part of the authorities here, says Andenæs. He believes the Norwegian authorities should both look and ask themselves what was the reason for the change in the export pattern. And that the health certificates could have contributed to crime. Affected by the criminal law – The issuance of these health certificates could be an aid to money laundering. It is very serious, Andenæs repeats emphatically. He points out: – Norwegian criminal law punishes money laundering and self-laundering. If money comes from illegal activities in China, it can lead to criminal liability in Norway. These money laundering rules go very far. Almost everyone who looks at these rules is surprised at how far they go. – On the authorities’ side, there has been knowledge of these trading patterns. In other words, extraordinarily increased imports to Vietnam. And then they have issued these health certificates, knowing that. They should then have investigated whether this could be complicity in a breach of Chinese law. Stopping at the border – We did notice that the flow of goods changed, says Malin Florvåg. She heads the department for international cooperation in the Norwegian Food Safety Authority – We saw that trade to China decreased. And we saw that fish, among other things, increasingly went to Vietnam. But beyond that, we had no authority or responsibility to follow these trade flows and the fish further. Florvåg maintains that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s responsibility stops at the border. – Our responsibility stops at the border, says Malin Florvåg in the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. Photo: Bjørn Olav Nordahl / news – Our authority is linked to confirming that the goods are safe to eat. Or that there is no risk of animal disease in the product lots. Our authority does not go beyond that, and does not follow the party out of Norway. She welcomes an investigation into the matter. Professor Mads Andenæs addresses the Storting. – There is reason to investigate. Has the public system worked as it should? he asks. Hello! We are currently working a lot on matters concerning the farming industry. Do you have tips for us, or know something about the industry that you think we should know or check out? Feel free to send us an email! Alternatively, you can call us on 95.22.30.63. You can use the same number on the encrypted Signal app.
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Law professor believes the State may have contributed to smuggling and money laundering – news Dokumentar
