As part of the operations carried out by the Regional Autonomous Corporation of La Guajira -Corpoguajira- y la Policía Nacional, to combat trafficking and commercialization of wild species, temporary closure was ordered
of two restaurants in the District of Riohacha for the commercialization of sea turtle meat.

Through inspection checks, surveillance seized 10,8 kilograms of green turtle (Chelonia mydas), species declared Endangered (IN) by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, and categorized as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, mainly for their indiscriminate hunting for the consumption of meat and eggs, La Guajira being the department where the
higher slaughter rates.

According to the country's environmental regulations, this act constitutes an environmental offense related to the mobilization, processing or transformation, exploitation and commercialization of wild fauna. The seized product was incinerated by the authorities.

It should be noted that the commercial establishments that were the object of the police operation did not have the unique national safe-conduct or permit to mobilize this species of turtle in the department of La Guajira..
The environmental authority and the National Police, call on the community to continue reporting any action or conduct that represents a threat to biodiversity. In addition, they reiterate that whoever appropriates, enter, explodes, transporte, keep up, trafficking, trades, explore, advantage or benefit of specimens, products or parts of wildlife resources, forestry, floristic, hidrobiológicos, biological or genetic Colombian biodiversity, will incur in prison of 48 a 10 months and a fine of up to 35.000 current monthly legal minimum wages.